Commission V Of The House Of Representatives Reminds That The Budget Efficiency Of The Ministry Of Public Works Should Not Hazard Road Users

The Ministry of Public Works Building. (ANTARA-HO-PU)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission V DPR RI Irmawan, highlighted the budget cuts of the Ministry of Public Works (PU). He reminded that the efficiency of the Ministry of Public Works' budget of up to 80 percent had an impact on the safety of road users.

According to Irmawan, the budget limitation can reduce funds for routine maintenance of roads and bridges. If this happens, he said, then roads and bridges are prone to damage so that it has an impact on the safety of road users.

"We urge the Ministry of Public Works to ensure that budget cuts do not reduce budget posts for repair or preservation of roads and bridges," said Irmawan, Friday, February 7.

Irmawan explained that routine maintenance of roads and bridges is needed to minimize the impact of accidents that often occur on the highway. Currently, according to him, there are still many potholes, bumpy cracks and stagnant water, making it prone to traffic accidents.

"Especially during the Eid and New Year holidays, which often experience an increase in traffic flow," said the PKB legislator.

Irmawan assessed that cutting the budget at the Ministry of Public Works could also trigger a lot of unemployment. According to him, so far various Kemen PU projects are included in the preservation of roads and bridges using labor-intensive schemes that absorb a lot of labor.

"If there is this efficiency, it is feared that the people will become victims because they do not get the benefits," he said.

Irmawan revealed, in a working meeting of Commission V with the Ministry of Public Works on Thursday, February 6, the 2025 budget was IDR 29.57 trillion from the previous budget ceiling allocation of IDR 110.95 trillion. This budget cuts are in accordance with Presidential instructions Number 1 of 2025 concerning Expenditure Efficiency in the Implementation of the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget and the 2025 APBD.

Irmawan said Commission V supports the efficiency program instructed by the Government. "But we also hope that the government will side with the community because this infrastructure development is also for the benefit of the community," said Irmawan.

According to Irmawan, this budget cut will have an impact on efficiency in official travel restrictions, the use of selective emergency response funds to non-operational spending efficiency. In fact, according to him, the impact of this efficiency is that infrastructure development targets also experience restrictions.

"The total funds allocated for infrastructure development in the year are IDR 29.57 trillion. A total of IDR 10.70 trillion is used for water resources," he said.

"One of them is by only building one unit of Jenelata Dam, rehabilitation of an irrigation network of 16,000 hectares and construction of 450 hectares of irrigation area construction," continued Irmawan.

The efficiency of the budget, he added, also has an impact on the absence of areas experiencing structuring and environmental planning. This, he said, would also have an impact on the arrangement of tourism areas.

"No tourism area has experienced structuring due to the efficiency of this budget," said Irmawan.