Deputy Mayor Predicts Batam Budget Deficit Of IDR 300 Billion

Deputy Mayor of Batam, Riau Islands, Amsakar Achmad. ANTARA/Jessica

BATAM - The Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBD) of Batam City, Riau Islands in 2022 is predicted to experience a deficit of IDR 300 billion.

"Last month I was asked by the Mayor to represent him in a meeting regarding a temporary evaluation of our financial position. The illustration is that we still need another Rp. 300 billion in funds that must be suppressed and made efficient," said Deputy Mayor of Batam, Amsakar Achmad, quoted by Antara, Saturday, May 28. .

Therefore, the Regional Leadership of Batam City asked every Regional Apparatus Organization (OPD) of Batam City to make efficiency and suppress activities that are not too important.

"Currently, we hope that each OPD can project which activities can be temporarily put on hold until later in the APBD changes, we will see how our PAD develops," said Amsakar.

Amsakar explained that efforts to reduce the deficit by means of the Producer OPD must continue to carry out extensification and intensification of regional taxes and levies in various ways. This includes not providing sanctions for those who wish to complete the payment.

"So far there are those who are still in arrears, so they should not be penalized or penalized, the important thing is that they are clients trying to complete their obligations," said Amsakar.

According to Amsakar, this deficit occurred because of the impact of COVID-19, but Batam City's economic growth is getting better and is almost the same as conditions before the pandemic.

"Actually we are grateful for our economic growth, both our Gross Regional Domestic Product (GDP) structure is still relatively the same as the previous condition," he said.

Although the hotel and restaurant sector experienced a very significant contraction, continued Amsakar, for the manufacturing industry sector, banking financial services were still relatively stable.

Apart from the Batam City Budget experiencing a deficit, this does not apply to road widening projects in the local area.

"If there is no road construction, all will continue. What has been planned by the guardian at several strategic points, we are currently pursuing the completion," said Amsakar.