SOEs Get Trillions Of PMN, Erick Thohir: For Post-Covid-19 Economic Development

Minister of SOEs, Erick Thohir. (Photo: Instagram @erickthohir)

JAKARTA - SOE Minister Erick Thohir explained that state capital participation (PMN) is important when it comes to difficult times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is because the fresh funds are used for economic development after the pandemic.

Furthermore, Erick guaranteed that the PMN given by the government did not have a certain charge in the midst of the outbreak of an epidemic that required large funds from the state.

As is known, the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) received approval from the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) to obtain state capital participation (PMn) worth Rp72 trillion. According to the plan, the funds will be allocated to increase the capital of state companies in carrying out infrastructure development and business development.

"I think this is the era of democracy when there are criticisms, there are suggestions, so we open the data transparently. We don't have any hidden data, I said earlier, for example, some are post-COVID-19 and some are during COVID-19," he said in a virtual dialogue. , Friday, July 30.

Erick said that in carrying out economic development, the government currently focuses on two things. The first is to maintain the economy during the outbreak of the epidemic so that it does not fall deeper.

Second, continued Erick, for economic development after the epidemic is over. This is done through infrastructure development, restructuring of state-owned enterprises, business transformation to industrial digitization to make it more efficient.

Furthermore, said Erick, all of these efforts require substantial capital from the state. So that in the midst of the pandemic, PMN funds seem excessive.

"So don't be afraid as if we don't support the current situation of COVID-19," he said.

Previously, the former Secretary to the Minister of BUMN for the period 2005 to 2010 Muhammad Said Didu accused the government of ignoring the suffering of the people in the midst of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic which had not been controlled. The reason is, in the midst of the state budget deficit that continues to occur, the government has actually issued a policy of state capital participation or PMN for state companies.

Said assesses that the policy taken at this time is considered inappropriate. This is because most of it is used for infrastructure development where the infrastructure is not used optimally due to the policy of the Emergency Community Activity Restriction (PPKM).

Not only that, Said said, when the projects are completed, they will also bring long-term profits. According to Said, the government should have used these funds to carry out a regional quarantine (lockdown) so that the spread of COVID-19 did not drag on.