Sri Mulyani Consider THR For PNS, TNI And Polri As A Recipe For Economic Recovery ,, Observer: Not Sure

Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani. (Photo: Doc. Setkab)

JAKARTA - The government through the Ministry of Finance has disbursed a budget of IDR 30.6 trillion for religious holiday allowances (THR) for civil servants (PNS), TNI and Polri. It is hoped that the full or full THR will be able to support economic recovery.

How big the provision of THR can have an impact on economic recovery? Executive Director of Indef Tauhid Ahmad said that this year's THR is expected to be used as material for consumption by the community. So, according to him, it will move the economy even though Tauhid acknowledged that the impact will not be too big.

"But indeed, if only employees (PNS, TNI and Polri) I think the impact is still relatively small. So it must be followed by the private sector, they must pay the THR according to the set time. So that the economic cycle in the regions can also occur," he told VOI, Friday 23 April.

According to Tauhid, the provision of THR for civil servants, military and police plus private parties did not have a big impact in supporting economic recovery. This is because this year there are several obstacles that have caused the circulation of money to be not optimal. One of them is the prohibition of going home.

"Why is it not so influential? Because the ban on going home will reduce the circulation of money," he said.

Reflecting on the last year, said Tauhid, during the Religious Holidays, there was a turnover of Rp. 150 to Rp. 60 trillion. However, because the homecoming prohibition is implemented, the money issued by the community is not as much as when going home is allowed.

"Now, if going home is prohibited, now automatically consumption for trips when he is in the village, social transfers to community groups under him, or for other needs while there, including tourism and others, is not spent," he said.

For example, said Tauhid, a person who works in Jakarta, makes himself unable to leave the capital city because of the ban on going home. Thus, the costs that should be spent on transportation will be held back in the form of savings.

"He is in Jakarta, does not need the cost because he does not go anywhere and he loves gasoline. He doesn't stop at a restaurant on the way when we are going home. If in the past when going home brought angpau, but because he did not go home, he saved the money. there. But not as much as when he went home, "he explained.

Previously, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati set a holiday allowance (THR) budget for central and regional civil servants (PNS) of IDR 30.6 trillion for 2021. Of the total budget of IDR 30.6 trillion, IDR 14.8 trillion. for the regions and the remaining Rp15.8 trillion for regional civil servants.

The former Managing Director of the World Bank revealed that the THR disbursement process for state servants, both central and regional, from D-10 to D-5 Lebaran 2021.

"If we look at the amount of our state expenditures, the amount of THR that will be spent on the central government reaches Rp.30.6 trillion," Sri Mulyani said at a press conference for our State Budget, Thursday, April 22.

The Secretary of the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Susiwijono Moegiarso, said that the government provides THR faster than private workers who are seven days before Eid. The goal is to have better purchasing power. Where, currently purchasing power is still weak due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"So that in the last 10 days before Ramadan, both ASN and private employees have purchasing power and are expected to shop," he said in the Power Lunch program.