There Is A Potential Budget Deficit Of IDR 2 Trillion, Commission XI Adds To LPDP

Deputy Chairman of Commission XI DPR RI Amir Uskara. (DOK DPR RI)

Commission XI of the Indonesian House of Representatives reminded the Education Fund Management Institute (LPDP) that there is a potential deficit in the projected 2023 opinion and expenditure budget. The amount of the deficit was conveyed by Deputy Chairman of Commission XI DPR RI Amir Uskara, even up to IDR 2 trillion.

Regarding the planned revenue and expenditure budget plan in 2023, because if we look at the DIPA (Fitr of Budget Usage), the planned income is around Rp4.9 (trillion) and expenditure is around Rp3.8 (trillion). However, in the projected revenue budget, Alhamdulillah, it increased to more than Rp8 trillion, but in spending it was more than Rp10 trillion. This means that between revenue and expenditure there was minus 2 trillion," Amir said in a Hearing Meeting (RDP) with the President Director of the Education Fund Management Institution (LPDP) at Nusantara 1 Building, Senayan, Jakarta, Wednesday 1 January. The RDP discusses the Evaluation and Performance Achievement in 2022 and the 2023 LPDP Working Plan.

Based on the explanation he received from the Managing Director of LPDP Andin Hadiyanto, the deficit in the budget projection arose due to a double increase in the expenditure budget derived from the Ministry of Education and Culture's needs. The ministry initially needed IDR 1.9 trillion in 2022, but increased to IDR 5 trillion in 2023.

Therefore, to cover the gap in the budget, funds will be used in the initial balance or from the collection of excess budget residuals (SAL) in previous years. Meanwhile, SAL in 2022 has an amount of IDR 1.4 trillion. This 2022 SAL will then be added to the balance in early 2023 to close the budget deficit gap.

However, Amir Uskara reminded again that SAL should be used to increase managed funds or endowments so that it has a higher value of benefits. According to the member of the State Financial Accountability Agency (BAKN), the use of SAL in the current year could potentially reduce managed funds.

"We don't want the funds to be managed, especially if for example there is a surplus, it should be accumulated in the managed fund, not used for activities in the current year. If you add endowment funds, it means that there will be more benefits, but if he is directly used in the current year, of course, that's the value of the benefits for it will not exist because for the following year it will continue to decrease," explained the PPP faction politician.