Suggesting Proposal to Increase Political Party Funds be Postponed, DPR Budget Committee: Need Time to Analyze APBN Capacity

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Budget Agency (Banggar) of the House of Representatives (DPR) Said Abdullah responded to the proposal to increase political party funds up to 10 times from IDR 1,000 to IDR 10,000.

Said suggested that the proposal be postponed because his party needs time to comb through the government's fiscal capacity in the APBN.

"If you look at the government's needs, the government's current programs, where the government is implementing efficiency in 2025, and will even continue in 2026, in my opinion it is better to temporarily postpone that desire," said Said, Tuesday, May 27.

"Give us the opportunity to comb through the government's fiscal capacity," he continued.

The PDIP legislator explained that the increase in political party funds must take into account 3 things, namely strengthening the capacity of political parties, APBN efficiency and the government's fiscal capacity.

"Political parties do need a budget for operations, cadre formation, workshops, and so on. But at the same time when we political parties need a budget, which will be funded by the government, the first, what is actually needed is capacity building of the political parties themselves. What capacity? Human resources and institutions because they manage the budget which is actually from the APBN," he said.

The second, budget efficiency which will be continued until 2026. Third, the government's fiscal capacity.

"If those three things have been met, political parties conduct internal studies, strengthen institutional and HR capacity, and at the same time, how much is the amount? Of course, each political party will have a different perspective," explained Said.

"Well, the DPR study team will also form a study team in this case Banggar, wanting to form a study team on how much is the actual objective need for funding our political parties," he continued.

But Said emphasized that the DPR is not in a position to ask for an increase, but the DPR is in a position to appreciate what was conveyed by the KPK leader, Fitroh Rohcahyanto. He considered that this proposal does not need to be decided in a hurry.

"It's been five years since the DPR has been struggling in the mire of funding political parties. Therefore, yes, take it slowly, don't then what the KPK conveys then the political parties respond, we immediately ask the government to budget. That's not very good, right," he concluded.