JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto claims that budget efficiency is the "engine" for financing priority programs. He said that savings of Rp300 trillion were more.
"This is the savings money that we use for the MBG program and so on," said Prabowo in his speech at the Indonesia Economic Outlook 2026 at the Danantara building, Jakarta, Friday, February 13.
"The posts that are suppressed include overseas travel, ceremonies, meetings, seminars, to FGDs," he said. "Studies, analyses... there is no need to do too much... the people are hungry, looking for food," he said.
Prabowo linked efficiency with performance targets. He said that Danantara had not been running for a year, but he received a provisional report that efficiency and reform had achieved a fourfold increase compared to 2024.
The President emphasized that the work was not yet complete. "This is amazing but must continue to be pursued," he said.
The target was set without hesitation. "I demand a return on assets of 7 percent," said Prabowo, then raised the benchmark to 8 percent.
However, Prabowo also gave a harsh note that efficiency was not enough because the leak was still large. He said that corruption must be closed, and pointed out the problem not only in the private sector, but also in the bureaucracy.
The president even quoted Winston Churchill's name - then doubted its accuracy - before making a joke that the president was more afraid of his own bureaucrats than Adolf Hitler or "the mole".
Elsewhere, Prabowo said he had called businessmen - "most of my own friends" - to ask them to obey the rules and stop looking for loopholes.
His message is clear. The budget is forced to work, targets are measured, and anyone who hinders - outside and within the government - will be part of the problem, not the solution.
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