Additional Funds Of Rp1.4 Trillion For Papua PON Have Been Approved

Menpora Zainudin Amali (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Youth and Sports Zainudin Amali said the additional Rp1.4 trillion proposed by the Papua National Sports Week Committee (PB PON) had been approved by the Minister of Finance.

According to Zainudin, the mechanism for distributing the Rp1.4 trillion budget will pass through the Ministry of Youth and Sports first before being distributed to PB PON.

"The additional requests from PB PON and PB Peparnas last night were approved by the Minister of Finance and only technical shifts," said Zainudin in a virtual press conference in Jakarta, Friday reported by Antara.

"Indeed, in the end it was decided to go through the Kemenpora as the channel and then directly to the users under (PB PON). Based on the mechanism of the Act, it is possible, of course there is a basis, namely the Regulation of the Minister of Finance. So you don't have to stop by and manage (Kemenpora)," he explained.

PB PON has submitted the additional funds to the central government since several months ago. The budget has been available after being approved by President Joko Widodo, but can only be approved a few days before the opening ceremony of the Papua PON on October 2.

Previously, the central government had allocated around IDR 397 billion for the equipment and implementation of the Papua PON. PB PON then proposed an additional fund of Rp. 1.4 trillion which was planned to be used for contingent accommodation, transportation, consumption, and other additional activities during the event.

However, the Minister of Youth and Sports previously stated that the government had not been able to distribute the budget because it was facing obstacles to the distribution mechanism.

He did not want the funds to be included in the Kemenpora Budget Implementation List (DIPA) which has the potential to become a legal finding in the future, even though the budget is fully used by PB PON.

Zainudin emphasized that although the distribution was through the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the management of these funds was entirely the responsibility of PB PON who planned and spent the budget.

“(Accountability reports) have a mechanism. We just 'pass' because the one who planned and used it there (PB PON),” he concluded.