KPU Suggests Rp86 Trillion For The 2024 Election Budget, Commission II Of The DPR: Too Fantastic, The Economy Is Very Difficult Now

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of Commission II of the DPR, Junimart Girsang, admitted that he objected to the total budget of Rp. 86 trillion for the 2024 General Election proposed by the General Elections Commission (KPU). Although, the total is to finance all stages of the National Election and Simultaneous Regional Head Elections in 2024.

According to him, this figure is too high when compared to the 2019 Simultaneous Election budget which only budgets Rp. 27 trillion.

"I think it's fantastic, because after we found out, it turns out that the budget of up to Rp. 86 trillion for 2024 is for the organizers, not for the participants," said Junimart at the DPR building, Thursday, September 16.

This member of the PDIP Faction does not want the Simultaneous General Election and Regional Head Election to be carried out in a wasteful manner. Moreover, he said, at this time Indonesia was desperately trying to restore the economy amid the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Don't let this Simultaneous General Election and Regional Head Election create naudzubillah expenditures, you can't. The economy is very difficult for this country, the government is in the context of national economic recovery, so let's help the government," said Junimart.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Commission II Ahmad Doli Kurnia asked the KPU to further detail the budget allocation. Not details from the state budget, but what the budget is used for.

"We have actually reminded the KPU, that Rp 86 trillion is for the election. We can see so that this can be explained in detail, what Rp 86 trillion is for," said Doli.

The Golkar politician also hopes that the KPU will make efficiency and review the budget.

"Earlier, I gave the Commission the task to review it again, whether there is something that can be made more efficient or not," he said.

Previously, the General Elections Commission (KPU) proposed a budget for the upcoming 2024 Simultaneous Elections of Rp. 86 trillion. The details of the budget consist of Rp 8.4 trillion from the 2021 State Budget or 10 percent, Rp 13.2 trillion from the 2022 State Budget or 15 percent.

Then, Rp 24.9 trillion from the 2023 State Budget or 29 percent, Rp 36.5 trillion from the 2024 State Budget or 42 percent, and Rp 3.09 trillion from the 2025 State Budget or 4 percent.

KPU chairman Ilham Saputra explained that the budget proposal included strengthening the KPU's infrastructure to the regions. The reason, he said, is that there are still many KPU offices in the regions that the regional government rents and lends.

“Because our proposed budget includes strengthening our infrastructure, including building construction. Many of our offices are rented and some are loaned by the local government,” Ilham said while attending a working meeting with Commission II of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Thursday, September 16.

The KPU also proposes a budget of Rp. 13.295 trillion in 2022 for the preparation stage for the 2024 General Election.

However, according to Ilham, the amount of budget available from the Ministry of Finance is still far from the needs of the General Elections Commission (KPU).

"What now exists with the Ministry of Finance is only IDR 2 trillion. The KPU's budget needs for the 2022 budget year, we hope to be approved for IDR 13,295,842,682,000," he explained.