Budget Efficiency Affects Layoffs, Mahfud MD: Pak Prabowo Must Explain When This Situation Is Stable

Mahfud MD/ANTARA/Risky Syukur

Mahfud MD said that the budget efficiency rolled out by the government of Prabowo Subianto must be explained to the public so as not to cause anxiety.

He assessed that the government's budget efficiency was correct, but still needed an explanation and a target of when the situation could stabilize again.

"In my opinion, no one can say this is wrong (budget efficiency), what Pak Prabowo did is also true. However, it must be explained to the people so that anxiety can subside and the target of when this situation is stable. It is the president's duty to explain," said Mahfud as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, February 12.

This needs to be done given the noise in the community, including termination of employment (PHK) for employees that occurred in several agencies.

"Yes, let it be resolved, I also feel, question the same thing. Noise occurs everywhere, anxiety occurs everywhere, occurs in various government agencies," said the former chairman of the Constitutional Court (MK).

Mahfudpun highlighted the reduction in the budget which was intended for the Free Nutrition Food (MBG) program, but on the other hand resulted in layoffs of employees.

"The logic of using the budget for other purposes is also a question. For example, if you give a nutritious food, but on the other hand there are layoffs due to the reduction of the activity (budget). That's what you need to think about," he said.

Mahfud emphasized that the reduction in the budget that caused layoffs for employees was no longer a discourse but had already occurred, so it had to be resolved immediately.

"(The budget efficiency) has caused a reduction in work, not will. Now it's visible. But, we have to believe that because Pak Prabowo was legally elected by the constitution, we also give him the opportunity to complete and manage this as well as possible," said Mahfud.

It is known, Commission II of the DPR approved the efficiency or change of the State Budget (APBN) ceiling for Fiscal Year 2025 from eight commission partners as a follow-up to President Prabowo Subianto's instructions.

The instructions in question are Presidential Instruction Number 1 of 2025 concerning Expenditure Efficiency in the Implementation of the State Budget and Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBD) for Fiscal Year 2025.