Minister Of Public Works Calls The 2025 Infrastructure Budget Detained By Sri Mulyani: The President's Directive Is Like That

JAKARTA - Minister of Public Works (PU) Dody Hanggodo said that the 2025 government infrastructure budget was detained by the Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Sri Mulyani Indrawati.

This was based on the direction of President Prabowo Subianto.

"So, actually we (for the project) in 2025 just have to work, right. However, because of the direction of the President (Prabowo Subianto), then all the main budgets related to temporary infrastructure in the star (detained) first," said Dody to reporters at the PU Ministry office, Jakarta, Monday, November 18.

Dody said the budget detention was waiting for the ministry/institution to sit down together to plan development.

"We have to re-discuss with all stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Bappenas, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Religion, and others, so that later any program that is charged to us to work on has indeed been discussed carefully with related institutions," he said.

According to him, currently the budget in the Ministry of Public Works will be focused on running the astacita program made by President Prabowo Subianto, especially related to food security and so on.

"Actually, we need to talk again with the President (Prabowo). Information to him that with all our ministries we have spoken and these are indeed his priority programs," he said.

Even so, he said not all 2025 infrastructure budgets were detained by Sri Mulyani. Because more than 90 percent, the Ministry of Public Works' infrastructure budget next year includes payment of multi-year contracts or projects that have been running for several years.

"I also just found out because I, right, new people here, new kids on the block. I just found out that 90 percent plus our budget has been committed for a long time, a year, two years, three years. So, now (2025) just pay, it's just a matter of completion (a project that's already running), that's all," he said.

For infrastructure projects that are already running, the government will continue to make payments.

Meanwhile, these infrastructure projects, which are planned to start in 2025, are still being detained by Sri Mulyani and then discussed further with the relevant ministries.

"The free one means that the free one can be used (for new infrastructure projects) at most? 4 percent, lah.4 percent of the total (all budget) that the state has given us for 2025," said Dody.

"Even if we are going to do something new to support the President's program (Prabowo), for example, yes, we have to talk to the President, 'just a few of our free budgets, here. We will do this (infrastructure project 2025 according to plan) first, here. Making what new reviews again, or can we submit a new (project)?' We will discuss that later," he continued.

Dody added that his party still has not opened an auction for a new infrastructure project for 2025.

He himself could not confirm whether by the end of this year his party could conduct an infrastructure project auction for next year because they were still waiting for Prabowo's direction.

"There are no new auctions yet. The initial auction (project 2025), right, Mr. President may come at the end of November, yes (waiting the next direction). God willing, we will continue to strive, all those targeted can be completed on time," he concluded.