Other Expenditures Reaches IDR 631.8 Trillion At The 2025 RAPBN, Faisal Basri: This Is Not Healthy

INDEF Senior Economist, Faisal Basri. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Senior Economist Faisal Basri regrets the government's large other expenditure allocations in the 2025 State Revenue and Expenditure Budget Draft (RAPBN) proposed by the government. The proposed funds for other expenditures next year will reach IDR 631.8 trillion or 23.5 percent of the total APBN expenditure.

"What's interesting for me is other expenses for next year, if I look at it, yes, that's the hallmark of the Jokowi era. It's not just a design because of the realization. It looks like it's been 10 years," said Faisal in a discussion entitled Reviu RAPBN 2025: Implementing Debt in Jakarta, Wednesday, August 21.

Based on his records, other expenditure allocations every year tend to increase. It was recorded that in 2021, other expenditure allocations amounted to 4.0 percent of the total APBN expenditure, then increased to 17.7 percent in 2022.

Then in 2023, other expenditure allocations were recorded to fall to 10 percent from the total APBN expenditure. However, it rose again in 2024 to 13.9 percent.

Faisal suspects that other expenditures are used to pay debts or the burden on government debt. The reason is, stakeholders have never revealed the purpose and use of funds from other shopping posts.

"So it is hiding as if the subsidy is shrinking, the state budget is getting healthier. It is put in other things to be flexible. In fact, in my opinion, this is not healthy," he said.

On the same occasion, Bright Institute Economist Awalil Rizky said other expenditures and debt interest payments were part of central government spending which received a high allocation in the 2025 RAPBN. Expenditures for debt interest payments were recorded at allocated Rp552.52.52.8 trillion.

"The largest types of central government spending are other expenditures and debt interest payments. The 2025 RAPBN continues the big trend of both types," he said.