KPU Cut Additional Pilkada Budget By IDR 600 Billion

Illustration (Angga Nugraha / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian General Election Commission (KPU) cut the additional budget in holding the 2020 Pilkada Simultaneously by IDR 600 billion.

Thus, the proposed additional budget was only Rp. 2.6 trillion, from the previous Rp. 3.2 trillion.

KPU chairman Arief Budiman said the reason for the reduction in the budget was due to the reduction in the minimum rapid test prices in the market. This rapid test will be used periodically by the election organizers.

"The Ministry of Health has made a new ceiling for rapid tests. There has been a change in the budget ceiling from Rp. 300 thousand to Rp. 350 thousand, now it is set at Rp. 150 thousand for rapid tests. So, we are doing efficiency," said Arief in a virtual discussion, Thursday, August 6.

Thus, from the proposed additional budget of Rp. 3.2 trillion, the KPU will reduce the budget by Rp. 600 billion. So that the additional budget is only Rp. 2.6 trillion.

Arief hopes that the additional budget channeled from the Ministry of Finance will be disbursed by August 15th. This is because this budget will be used for the election stages in August, September and October.

"There are needs that must be paid now. For example, there is an auction, recruitment of KPPS, then paying an honorarium. Those are huge needs based on stages," said Arief.

It is known, this additional budget is the second stage. Previously, the KPU had received an additional budget for the first phase of Rp941 billion for the implementation of the pilkada stages in June and July.

The additional budget for the first phase has been transferred to the regional KPU that organizes the pilkada and is used to finance the procurement of goods and health protocol services for COVID-19 prevention.

In addition to the procurement of rapid tests, the Pilkada needs are, for example, the auction for logistics providers and the recruitment of TPS officers or polling organizers (KPPS).

"This addition is funded by the state budget. In the previous elections, there was no component to buy masks, hand sanitizers, face shields, hazmat suits, but now there are and they are intended for that," he concluded.