PDIP Faction Of Medan DPRD Asks Bobby Nasution To Focus On COVID-19 Handling Budget

MEDAN - The PDI-P faction of the Medan DPRD asked Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution to focus on the health budget and handling COVID-19.

This was conveyed in the general view of the DPRD faction towards the Regional Head's Introductory Note on the 2021 Regional Budget Draft P-APBD at the Medan DPRD, Monday, September 13.

Members of the F-PDIP requested that the changes to the APBD for the 2021 fiscal year could be optimally absorbed by the people of Medan. The Medan City Government is asked to continue to carry out 3 T, testing, tracing, and treatment in handling COVID-19.

"We ask the Medan City Government to focus the budget on health and especially the handling of COVID-19 in the P-APBD for the 2021 Fiscal Year, which is expected to reduce the obstacles faced by the community, especially by optimizing the role and services of the public health center and referral hospitals. In addition, increasing ambulance services for COVID-19 patients and the speed of the PCR swab testing process for suspected COVID-19, especially from underprivileged families," said Medan City DPRD F-PDIP member Roby Barus as quoted from the statement from the Medan City Communication and Information Service.

Roby Barus also asked the Medan City Government to take steps and strategies to keep the pace of economic growth back to normal, inflation, and open unemployment rates from increasing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"What breakthroughs and anticipatory steps will be taken in the 2021 APBD changes, besides how the progress of poverty handling during 2021 will be, whether the target for reducing the poverty rate at the end of 2021 will be achieved," he said.

The PDI-P faction will push for the acceleration of the realization of the direct expenditure budget aimed at restoring the economic growth of Medan City.

This is because it is recorded that the Regional Original Revenue (PAD) has decreased by Rp. 20.2 billion more or equal to 0.94 percent, which is due to a decrease in revenue from taxes and the results of the management of separated regional assets.

"For this reason, we encourage the acceleration of the realization of the direct expenditure budget aimed at restoring the economic growth of the city of Medan to be overcome," continued Roby Barus.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party faction, represented by Ishaq Abrar, said that the 2021 Regional Budget Plan for Regional Budget (Ranperda P-APBD) prioritizes efforts to improve infrastructure, services, and health for the people of Medan City, especially the handling of COVID-19.

There are also programs to overcome the problem of flooding, cleaning services for Medan City, and the Development of Small, Micro, and Medium Enterprises.

"We noted an increase in PAD in the Revised APBD by 0.24 percent or more than Rp. 12 billion. Then in Regional Expenditures, it also increased by more than Rp. 384 billion and from regional financing, financing receipts increased by more than Rp. 472 billion and expenditures increased by Rp. 100 billion," he explained.

"Through this plenary, the Democratic Faction also wants to ask what the Medan City government's efforts in the second semester are in pursuing the PAD revenue target in the Revised Regional Budget, which in principle does not burden the community at this time, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Ishaq.

Based on the general view of the factions in the Medan DPRD, Bobby Nasution said that he would accommodate all input from the members of the council. Furthermore, in the next plenary session, the Mayor of Medan, Bobby Nasution, will deliver a memorandum of response related to the general view of the Medan DPRD factions.

Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution hopes that the 2021 Revised APBD can approve the Medan DPRD so that all priority development programs can be carried out well for the city of Medan.