The NTT Provincial Government Grants Funds Rp14 Billion To The Bambu Foundation, DPRD Calls It Not In Accordance With The Rules

Deputy Chairman of the NTT Provincial DPRD Inche Sayuna. (ANTARA/Aloysius Lewokeda)

KUPANG - The Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) of East Nusa Tenggara Province questioned the provision of a grant of Rp. 14 billion from the NTT Provincial Government for the Bambu Foundation in the province. Deputy Chairman of the NTT Provincial DPRD Inche Seyun said the value of the funds was quite large and seemed to be a waste of budget in the midst of regional fiscal capabilities that were not strong enough to support various needs. "There was previously Rp2 billion for assistance for the Bamboo Foundation in the pure APBD, but suddenly the Rp14 billion grant was entered on what basis?" he said when contacted in Kupang, Antara, Monday, September 26. Grant funds cannot be distributed simply but must go through a mechanism starting from planning. "So there should be a proposal, it is planned first, then executed so that this additional Rp14 billion grant is not in accordance with the rules," he said. Inche Sayuna explained that granting by the provincial government was a step in using the budget ahead of the APBD changes so that funds were issued but there was no legal basis yet. Indeed, there are rules that allow the use of the budget to precede change, but on condition that it is in certain circumstances and is urgent. The use of funds, he said, was only notified to the DPRD, but some of them had to have DPRD approval. "The provincial government uses this space to distribute grants but not in accordance with the substance requested by the rules," he said. Inche Sayuna hopes that the provincial government will use the budget professionally, both in terms of regulations and priority scale so that the benefits of the budget remain on target.