Sri Mulyani's Joke About Her Relationship With Basuki: It Looks Always Rukun But Not Like That

Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani and Minister of PUPR Basuki Hadimuljono (Photo: Antara)

Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati joked about her relationship with the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono not always getting along as seen in society.

"If I am with Mr. Bas, maybe people see him always looks harmonious, it's not always like that, it's not always like that. Because everyone knows, he always asks for additional," he said at the State Property Handover Ceremony of the Ministry of PUPR in 2024, Thursday, October 10.

According to Sri Mulyani, Basuki often asks for additional budgets, while as the State Treasurer must distribute the budget to all ministries and institutions (K/L) including local governments. Where the same thing is also expected by various agencies.

"We as State Treasurers must distribute to all ministries/agencies to regions where no one must have asked for volatiles to come down, but always asked for more," he said.

Therefore, Sri Mulyani said that she often asked Basuki to hold back the required spending needs a little.

"So yes, we always go ahead, 'Mr. Bas is a little braked up, please help this one'. So that's it, but because our relationship is professional, mutual respect and understanding each other's duties, we can continue to maintain good personal and institutional relationships," he said.

Sri Mulyani explained that this often happens so that she often tells about the conditions in the situation that are being faced by each other so that she often exchanges ideas and finds solutions.

"If we face various things, I will explain, 'Sir, the situation is like this'. Mr. Bas 'I have to build this because I was asked and tomorrow it must be inaugurated'. Well, this is all one of the dynamics," he said.

Responding to this, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono admitted that he had never asked for an additional budget from Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati.

According to Basuki, the additional budget request came from a direct request from President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) who called the State Treasurer.

"I never asked for additional (budget), who asked for the president, because the president immediately called him (Sri Mulyani) for a new assignment," said Basuki.

Responding to this, Sri Mulyani said that Basuki only needed to enjoy additional budgets because President Jokowi asked directly.

"He went to Mr. Bas and I immediately. So he (Basuki) just had to slow down, the president had called him," explained Sri Mulyani.