Fear Of The Minister Of Ministry Of Expenditure

President Jokowi presiding over a meeting at the State Palace, Tuesday, July 7. (Photo: BPMI at setkab.go.id)

JAKARTA - INDEF economic observer, Nailul Huda, assessed that the cause of the "slack" of the ministry's current budget spending is because the ministers are afraid. They fear that someday they will be blamed for the budget policies that have been disbursed in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"You could say they are afraid to adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are also worried that they will have to face the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) if the budget absorption is arbitrary," Nailul said when contacted by VOI, Thursday, July 9.

Nailul said that the problem of budget absorption has always been the government's homework. every year, the absorption of the budget at the beginning of the month must be very low. Moreover, he is currently faced with the COVID-19 pandemic.

"So far, absorption has been used for expenses which are in the nature of meetings, consignment, FGDs, and field visits. Due to the pandemic, they cannot pay for it," said Nailul.

It is certain, he said, that the ministers were at a loss for spending the budget for handling COVID-19, because they were not used to facing the problem of this new outbreak. In addition, the internal regulations of ministries and institutions regarding complex budget expenditures are also an obstacle.

However, Nailul suggested that the ministers should not be afraid to move quickly to make budget expenditures. Because, currently the national economy is weak due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After all, he said, Jokowi had opened the door by issuing Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) No.1 of 2020 concerning State Financial Policy and Financial System Stability for Handling the COVID-19 Pandemic.

"They must have the courage to spend their budget. There is also a big legal umbrella, namely the Perppu. They must be quick to make internal regulations for budget disbursement. They must have the courage to change internally.

For information, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the entire world economy to collapse. A number of other heads of state who are actively communicating with Jokowi also agree with the decline in the economic sector. The predictions of the world economy are changing at a fast pace. Unfortunately, that analysis leads to something bad.

"Finally, the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) even (mentions) minus 6 to minus 7.6 percent, try, keep changing. But if we are not horrified and think this is mediocre, gosh, it's really dangerous. "Spending is also mediocre, our spending is mediocre, there is no acceleration," said Jokowi in a Limited Meeting Regarding the Acceleration of Budget Absorption in Six Ministries / Agencies, Tuesday, July 7.

The only hope that can move the economy is the government through ministry spending actions. Jokowi's hope lies with a number of ministries that have jumbo budgets.

"I ask everything to be accelerated, especially those with a large budget. This is the Ministry of Education and Culture, which has Rp. 70.7 trillion, the Ministry of Social Affairs Rp. 104.4 trillion, the Ministry of Defense Rp. 117.9 trillion, the Police Rp. 92.6 trillion, the Ministry of Transportation Rp. 32.7 trillion. ministries and also in the police, everything is accelerated, the spending, "pleaded Jokowi.

"So what I present here, what I invite is the (budget, red) that was big," he continued.