Ministry of Culture's Working Meeting with Commission X of DPR RI To Discuss 2026 Budget Preparation to Promote Indonesia Emas 2045

Deputy Minister of Culture Giring Ganesha held a working meeting with Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives. (SPC)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Culture and Commission X of the House of Representatives (DPR) held a Working Meeting in the Commission X Meeting Room, Nusantara I Building, Jakarta. The meeting discussed the Ministry of Culture's budget requirements for 2026, as well as programs to be funded by the Special Allocation Fund.

The working meeting was chaired by Deputy Chair of Commission X, Kurniasih Mufidayatih, accompanied by Deputy Chair of Commission X, Lalu Hardian Irfani. The Ministry of Culture was led by Deputy Minister of Culture, Giring Ganesha Djumaryo.

In his presentation, Deputy Minister of Culture Giring stated that the Ministry of Culture is focusing on three points of the Asta Cita (Principles of the Five Principles): Asta Cita No. 1, strengthening the ideology of Pancasila, democracy, and human rights. Asta Cita No. 2, strengthening the ideology of Pancasila, democracy, and human rights. Fourth, strengthening human resource development (HRD), science, technology, education, health, sports achievements, gender equality, and strengthening the roles of women, youth, and persons with disabilities. Furthermore, the eighth Asta Cita (Cita) focuses on strengthening the alignment of harmonious life with the environment, nature, and culture, and increasing interfaith tolerance to achieve a just and prosperous society.

To support the achievement of these three Cita, the Deputy Minister of Culture stated that, based on the current budget ceiling of the Ministry of Culture, additional funding is needed to optimally implement activities and achieve planned outputs.

Furthermore, Deputy Minister Giring explained that the advancement of culture not only impacts Indonesia but also global civilization. Culture also impacts the cultural economy, the creative economy, and tourism. "The advancement of culture can contribute to realizing the ideals of a golden Indonesia by 2045," he added.

Deputy Minister Giring emphasized that the Ministry of Culture requires additional funding for 2026. "The additional funding will be used to support activities for the Protection of Culture and Tradition, to strengthen promotional diplomacy and cooperation, and to support activities for the development of cultural utilization and fostering," he explained.

He also explained that the additional funding will be used to strengthen governance and bureaucratic reform. It will also be used to develop 10 new Cultural Preservation Center Technical Implementation Units (UPTs): Riau, Bangka Belitung, Lampung, DKI Jakarta, Central Java, South Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara, Gorontalo, West Sulawesi, and Southeast Sulawesi.

Responding to the Deputy Minister of Culture's statement, Commission X representative Juliatmono from the Golkar faction stated that they are closely monitoring the Ministry of Culture's needs, as culture will be fully under the Ministry of Culture starting in 2025. Representing the Golkar faction, he approved the proposed additional funding.

Juliatmono also emphasized his concern for museums in the regions. "The Ministry of Culture must remind regional heads to pay more attention to museums and encourage schoolchildren to visit museums to increase their knowledge and sense of nationalism," he said.

La Tinro, from the Gerindra faction, expressed his gratitude for the cultural activities the Ministry of Culture has held in various regions. He believes this is crucial in raising awareness of the importance of Indonesian culture among a society already heavily influenced by foreign cultures. "The budget for the creative industry in South Korea reaches 150 trillion rupiah. Hopefully, what is happening in South Korea can also happen in Indonesia," he said.

The working meeting was also attended by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture, Bambang Wibawarta; the Director General of Cultural and Tradition Protection, Restu Gunawan; the Director General of Cultural Development, Utilization, and Fostering, Ahmad Mahendra; the Minister's Expert Staff for Inter-Institutional Relations, Ismunandar; the Minister's Expert Staff for Law and Cultural Policy, Masyitoh Annisa Ramadhani Alkitri; the Minister's Special Staff for History and Cultural Heritage Protection, Basuki Teguh Yuwono; Special Staff to the Minister for Media and Public Communication, Muhammad Asrian Mirza; and Echelon II Officials from the Ministry of Culture.

Concluding the working meeting, Deputy Minister of Culture Giring expressed his gratitude for Commission X's trust in the Ministry of Culture. The Deputy Minister expressed his hope that they could continue to synergize and advance Indonesian culture and establish Indonesia as a cultural superpower.