President Jokowi Emphasizes Government To Pay Attention To Supreme Audit Agency's Recommendations Regarding State Budget Financing

JAKARTA - President Jokowi ensured that the government would pay attention to all recommendations from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) regarding financing the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN) so that the fiscal deficit is managed in a safe, credible and measurable manner.

"The government will pay close attention to BPK's recommendations in managing APBN financing. The budget deficit is financed by utilizing safe financing sources, implemented in a responsive manner", said President Jokowi at the State Palace, Jakarta, Friday, June 25, as reported by Antara.

The President delivered the statement after receiving the 2020 Central Government Financial Report (LHP LKPP), and the 2020 Semester II Examination Results Summary (IHPS), as well as the submission of the 2020 Semester II 2020 Examination Result Report (LHP).

The President explained that the state budget financing has so far been carried out safely, responsively to current conditions, and supports countercyclical policies to support economic recovery from the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic. "(State Budget Financing) is managed carefully, credible, and measurably", he said.

The government, said President Jokowi, wants to make the best use of public money and be managed in a transparent and accountable manner. Every rupiah that is spent by the government must be felt by the people.

In the 2020 State Budget, the President and the  House of Representatives (DPR) agreed to provide relaxation of the budget deficit to above 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) for the next 3 years to meet the needs for health and economic program spending due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The easing of the fiscal deficit is one of the extraordinary steps that the government must implement in dealing with the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic. "We have to widen the deficit considering the increasing need for state spending for health and economic care at a time when state revenues are declining", said the President.

Meanwhile, the BPK gave an unqualified opinion (WTP) for the 2020 Government Goods/Services Procurement Policy Institute (LKPP). "The WTP predicate is not the ultimate goal because we want to make the best use of people's money", said President Jokowi.