Indef Economist Abra Talattov Calls Prabowo's Free Lunch Program Unrealistic, Discussion Of State System Labrak

JAKARTA - Indef economist Abra Talatov said the free lunch program launched by one of the candidate pairs in the 2024 presidential election was unrealistic. Abra also assessed that the program had broken the state administration system because it had been heralded by the current government. In fact, there has been no determination of the elected president and vice president from the KPU.

Abra initially criticized President Jokowi's government projects which he considered realistic shelves to the point of sacrificing the state budget to owe. Such as the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail (KCJB) project which made Indonesia's debt swell many times over.

"If you want to open the State Budget from 2014-2024, there are indeed many things that we must criticize together. First, our state debt at the beginning of Pak Jokowi's administration was Rp2,400 T then last January it was Rp. 8,000 T. So it has been many times. This is inseparable from the large ambition of the government to build infrastructure, then projects are not urgent, as well as projects in BUMN," said Abra during a discussion and national emergency consolidation event 'Rusaknya Governance Negara' which was broadcast on the PMII Official YouTube account, Monday, March 4.

"For example, the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train contains serious complications. Because it is not only a cost that swells but also the ability to repay debt. Even our senior, Faisal said that until the end of the world we cannot pay off the high-speed train debt. It is so unrealistic that the project will be extended to Surabaya," he continued.

According to Abra, whether intentionally or not the debt traps will seriously endanger the country. Including the project to move the nation's capital city (IKN).

"Where the government believes, this project will be funded by private companies and foreign investors. But the fact is that until now, even foreign investors are still hesitant to see the visibility of this IKN project. When private or foreign investors are not interested in investing, in the end our APBN will be used. So indeed if our financial risk is not corrected from now on it will be dangerous to become a time bomb," he said.

Abra emphasized that Indonesia should not expect to become a developed country by 2045, if the state's financial problems are unable to be suppressed by the government itself. Not to mention, he said, the promise of politics from unrealistic programs from candidate pairs of presidential elections that may be the next government.

"For example, free lunch and milk, it's Rp. 400 trillion in demand until 2029. It's so unrealistic, from where the source of the money is said that the budget will use BOS funds. Even though the BOS funds are not large, it's only Rp. 50 trillion. The BOS funds are to finance the operational salaries of teachers, honorary teachers. What does that mean, what is sacrificed is the teaching staff," said Abra.

Abra assessed that the world of national education would become a victim of a political program. In fact, he said, the program on the other hand became a gimmick to convince voters.

"Ini yang mau mau tidak mau, program seperti ini harus bisa kita bentung jangan sampai masuk keuangan negara kita. Bahkan belum ditetapkan KPU pemenangnya siapa sudah mulai digembarkan masuk APBN 2024 sudah dibahas di kabinet. Musiknya antara presiden dan menteri pun berbeda suara. Presiden bilang tidak ada pembahasan itu. Tapi menterintinya koar koar katan sedang dikaji supaya ada allokasi di 2024," bebernya.

In addition, continued Abra, this program also implements a constitutional system in the context of the role of the DPR or parliament. Where should it also be discussed in the normal budget cycle or RAPBN.

"After May or before August, it will be discussed how the parliament views, whether it is feasible to be included in our APBN. So indeed this seems very centralistic, so eager to be forced to be realized in our APBN," he said.

"So there are indeed many oddities that we watch every day, not only politics but the economy is very invisible," concluded Abra.