President Wants Balanced State Budget, Investigates Leaks and Waste of Budget

Prabowo Subianto emphasized that the state budget deficit should not continue to grow amid the threat of a long war in the Middle East. (Photo: Presidential Press Office)

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto emphasized that the state budget deficit should not continue to increase amid the threat of a long war in the Middle East. In a cabinet meeting at the State Palace, Friday, March 13, Prabowo even called the balanced state budget without a deficit an ideal target, while reminding that budget leaks and inefficiencies were still large.

Prabowo said Indonesia was still in a safe condition and there was no need to panic. However, this sense of security should not turn into complacency. The government, said the President, must be prepared for the worst possible scenario if the global conflict continues and pressures fuel and food prices.

"We hope that the worst scenario does not happen in the Middle East, but many predictions also say this could be a very long war," said Prabowo.

In the forum, Prabowo emphasized that his fiscal target remained clear. The deficit must not increase. In fact, if possible, the government must move towards a balanced state budget.

"Our target is that our state budget must be balanced, that is the most ideal," he said.

The President then highlighted the sources of pressure in the country that still continue to erode the state budget, namely leaks, inefficiencies, under-invoicing, under-counting, and administrative manipulation. The problem is still big and must continue to be corrected.

He also touched on the synchronization of all ministries and agencies into the GovTech network. According to Prabowo, this step is expected to reduce leaks by up to 40 percent of government spending.

Prabowo said the experience during the Covid-19 pandemic showed that savings could be made in a tangible way. Therefore, he asked the coordinating ministers to immediately discuss various efficiency measures so that global pressure would not immediately burden the domestic fiscal.