KPU's Proposal For An Election Budget Of Rp.86 Trillion Is Considered Too High, Minister Of Home Affairs: Indonesia Is Still Recovering From The Pandemic

Tito Karnavian/PHOTO VIA ANTARA

JAKARTA - Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian, objected to the proposed 2024 election budget of Rp. 86 trillion, which was mentioned by the General Elections Commission (KPU).

The Minister of Home Affairs then reminded, Indonesia is still in the process of economic recovery due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tito also suggested that the 2024 election budget could be cut.

"The national economy was negative, this may be different from the previous year's election, so we really consider efficiency in election budgeting," Tito said in a working meeting with Commission II of the DPR, Thursday, September 16.

The Minister of Home Affairs considers that the comparison of the 2024 General Election budget with the previous event is too much different. Where, said Tito, the 2014 election was only Rp. 16 trillion, while the 2019 election was Rp. 27 trillion.

"To be honest, we need to do some exercise and really look at the details one by one, because the jump is too high from IDR 16 trillion to IDR 27 trillion to IDR 86 trillion at a time when we are in need of a lot of money to restore the national economy. ", explained Tito.

Previously, the General Elections Commission (KPU) proposed a budget for the upcoming 2024 Simultaneous Elections of Rp. 86 trillion. The details of the budget consist of Rp 8.4 trillion from the 2021 State Budget or 10 percent, Rp 13.2 trillion from the 2022 State Budget or 15 percent.

Then, Rp 24.9 trillion from the 2023 State Budget or 29 percent, Rp 36.5 trillion from the 2024 State Budget or 42 percent, and Rp 3.09 trillion from the 2025 State Budget or 4 percent.

KPU chairman Ilham Saputra explained that the budget proposal included strengthening the KPU's infrastructure to the regions. The reason, he said, is that there are still many KPU offices in the regions that the regional government rents and lends.

“Because our proposed budget includes strengthening our infrastructure, including building construction. Many of our offices are rented and some are loaned by the local government,†said Ilham while attending a working meeting with Commission II of the DPR, Thursday, September 16.

The KPU also proposes a budget of Rp. 13.295 trillion in 2022 for the preparation stage for the 2024 General Election.

However, according to Ilham, the amount of budget available from the Ministry of Finance is still far from the needs of the General Elections Commission (KPU).

"What now exists with the Ministry of Finance is only IDR 2 trillion. The KPU's budget needs for the 2022 budget year, we hope to be approved for IDR 13,295,842,682,000," he explained.