Minister of Home Affairs Reveals There are Provincial Governments Spending Rp1 Billion Per Day to Eat, Commission II of the DPR: It's Unthinkable

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of Commission II of the DPR Bahtra Banong responded to the Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian who revealed that there were Regional Governments (Pemda) who spent Rp1 Billion per day just for food and drink. According to him, this expenditure is unreasonable.

"If it is Rp1 billion per day, in my opinion, it doesn't make sense," said Bahtra at the DPR building, Jakarta, Thursday, January 15.

Therefore, Bahtra ensured that Commission II of the DPR would invite the Minister of Home Affairs to a meeting and explain the findings.

"So, then, maybe we will call the Ministry of Home Affairs to convey which regional governments have issued billions a day," he said.

Moreover, Bahtra reminded, the government of President Prabowo Subianto is still implementing budget efficiency policies. So, he said, if there is a local government that spends billions of money per day, it is an unreasonable right.

"On the one hand, President Prabowo wants this efficiency to be implemented, but on the other hand, it turns out that there are still many local governments that waste the budget and for us this does not make sense. Unless, for example, the local government holds a party every day, and it is impossible to have a party every day, usually yes, the food and drink money is different for each local government, but for example, if it is up to Rp. 1 billion per day, there are many guests who are received every day, if it is spent up to billions of rupiah," said Bahtra.

"Well, for me, we will ask the Minister of Home Affairs to comb through all of these food and drink budgets, including not only in the Regional Government, because the DPRD, Regency and City are the same," he continued.

The Gerindra legislator also asked the local government and other institutions to use state funds properly. Moreover, many regions in Indonesia are still hit by disasters.

"We don't forbid it, but it's natural, because on one side our country, especially we have many disasters, the budget should be saved for not asking for it, but the weather is also less conducive, so it is for preparation if there is an unexpected event, don't spend all the budget for the sake of food and drink," concluded Bahtra.

Previously, the Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian revealed that there was a regional budget allocation for food and beverages that could reach Rp. 1 billion. He knew this based on monitoring of areas that were wasteful in spending.

"We review their APBD. We see which ones are roughly wasteful, when there was a drink in one area, it was Rp. 1 billion a day, this is outrageous. (Directly) cut, so we save," said Tito, Wednesday, January 14.

Tito said that the provincial level APBD was indeed monitored by the Ministry of Home Affairs, while at the district/city level it was carried out by the governor with a grid from his institution to save spending.