Democrats Agree On The 2019 Presidential Aircraft Paint Budget Last, Arteria Dahlan Wonders Why The Troubled Now

Member of Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives Arteria Dahlan (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - PDIP politician Arteria Dahlan believes that the polemic of changing the paint on the presidential plane from blue to red does not need to be debated. As stated by the Minister of State Secretariat Pratikno, this painting project was actually planned for 2019.

"And it is a package of painting work with the Super Puma Presidential Helicopter which was done first. That's not a problem," said Arteria in a statement, Wednesday, August 4.

Regarding the budget, which is estimated to reach Rp. 2 billion, he continued, there have been legal administrative procedures that have been passed, even approved by the Democratic Party. Where is currently considered as an objecting party.

"Of course the budget for this work has been discussed with the DPR, and was approved in 2019. It's strange that now there are members of the DPR or political parties in the DPR who criticize it. ' said Arteria.

The member of Commission III of the DPR reminded that it is necessary to understand that the painting work is carried out by contractors who are paid by the government who also employ Indonesian citizens. This means, said Arteria, that the state is actually driving the people's economy through the painting of the plane.

"The state budget is a way to move the economy. Precisely during a pandemic where the economy is difficult, it is very good when the state moves the people's economy through a real budget like this," he claimed.

If there are parties who criticize and even provoke that the painting budget should be used to buy rice for the people, according to Arteria, the knowledge in question should be questioned. This is because the government has allocated a budget for this.

The East Java legislator also went into detail and quoted the Ministry of Finance's statement that President Jokowi had ordered tightening and increasing the budget for the recovery program. For the handling of COVID-19 in 2021, it will be increased from Rp. 699.4 trillion to Rp. 744.75 trillion.

"For social assistance itself, the total budget is prepared to reach Rp. 187.84 trillion. It is used for various assistance, from cash to premium Bulog rice assistance to 28.8 million families," said Arteria.

Meanwhile, he said, the budget itself comes from the budget reallocation of ministries and institutions. In this case, the State Secretariat has also tightened the waist and reallocated the budget to strengthen the COVID-19 budget.

"So the government has prepared COVID-19 funds and is not disturbed. Unless COVID-19 funds are not prepared, it is okay to be angry," he said.

Furthermore, Arteria believes that the public must be vigilant so that they do not get entangled with the logic built by certain parties, because they cannot accept that the color of their party's flag is no longer identical to the color of the old presidential plane.

In fact, said Arteria, precisely the color of the current presidential plane, namely red and white, is the embodiment of the state symbol according to the colors of the Indonesian national flag.

"Let's be careful with post power syndrome. Maybe this will turn out to be post color syndrome just because we can't accept that the color of the presidential plane is no longer the same as the color of the party's flag," he said.

He also emphasized that people value work, not just the image and color display.

"It's better now that we are concerned, build social solidarity and mutual cooperation, if possible, work directly, go down to the people to help in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic which makes the people's living situation difficult," said Arteria.

"We have already proven that the three pillars of the party, both those in the executive, legislative and party structures, must go down directly to the bottom. So we know very well what the government is doing, how the people feel," he continued.

Arteria also suggested that those who objected not to make the situation cloudy and do something that would reduce people's optimism in facing this pandemic. If the person concerned does not want to work.

"I make sure that populist methods in the name of the people that are carried out by them will not be effective, they will be counter-productive," concluded Arteria.