Complaining About Small Budget, Bahlil Asks DPR To Summon Sri Mulyani And Suharso Monoarfa

JAKARTA - Investment Minister/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia complained about his ministry's budget in the indicative ceiling in 2025 which fell considerably compared to 2024.

Bahlil said the indicative ceiling for the 2025 Ministry of Investment was set at IDR 681 billion.

Meanwhile, the investment target in the government's draft work (RKP) was installed at IDR 1,850 trillion.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Investment's budget in 2024 is set at IDR 1.2 trillion with an investment target of IDR 1,650 trillion.

"Well, this is 2025, I just found an economic theory like this," he said in a working meeting with Commission VI of the DPR, at the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, Tuesday, June 11.

On this basis, Bahlil asked Commission VI of the DPR to summon Finance Minister Sri Mulyani and Minister of National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas Suharso Monoarfa to explain the budget reduction.

If they do not find a bright spot, he said, his party will reduce the investment target in the RKP in 2025 from the initial Rp1,850 trillion to Rp800 billion.

"I ask the leadership to please call the Minister of Finance and the Head of Bappenas to explain this. Because in my theory with the existing budget basis, I reduced the RKP, I corrected it to Rp800 billion," he said.

According to Bahlil, high investment is one of the requirements for achieving an increase in economic growth apart from consimtion, exports, imports and government spending.

Moreover, the government has targeted economic growth above 5 percent by 2025.

Therefore, continued Bahlil, with the budget being too small, it is impossible to bring Indonesia's economic growth to the target.

"So I suggest to the leadership through this honorable meeting because the gentlemen represent our people to revise it according to the RKP," he said.

Bahlil admitted that he did not want to marry his subordinates at the Ministry of Investment to pursue investment targets. In fact, until the new government when he stepped down.

"I don't want to make my staff a scapegoat. During the meeting, members then asked why they were given a burden but they were not given facilities. If I say God willing, I will live a long life until October is over, if they are continued (until the next government)," he explained.