Jokowi Reminds People's Money Not To Finance Bureaucratics

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) gave a speech at the submission of the Examination Result Report (LHP) to the 2022 LKPP at the State Palace, Jakarta, Monday (26/6/2023).

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) reminded ministries/agencies and local governments that people's money in the APBN/APBD is not to finance the bureaucracy, but to realize programs that are beneficial to the community. "Every rupiah of people's money must return to the people, to finance what the people feel and not to finance the process. This is what is careful, yes. Once again, not to finance the process, not to finance the bureaucracy because what I found was spent in the bureaucracy," said President Jokowi when receiving the Audit Result Report (LHP) on LKPP 2022 at the State Palace, Jakarta, Antara, Monday, June 26. On that occasion, President Jokowi received an unqualified opinion (WTP) on the 2022 Central Government Financial Report (LKPP) submitted by the Chairman of the Supreme Audit Agency Isma Yatun. Jokowi reminded ministries/agencies and local governments to improve spending quality. According to him, many program budgets are inefficient and effective in several APBD ceilings because they are mostly for official trips and personnel expenditures such as honorariums. "In addition to increasing accountability, we must also continue to strive to improve the quality of spending. It is carried out well, continues to be monitored and continues to be evaluated so that it is more targeted. The outcome is really felt by the people," he said. Without mentioning certain local government entities, Jokowi gave an example in an APBD, there is an official travel expenditure ceiling of Rp. 1 billion for the agricultural energy counseling program which has a total budget of Rp. 1.5 billion. This indicates that more than 50 percent of the total budget for agricultural worker counseling in the area has run out only for official travel. The President also gave an example of the MSME development program in an area that has a budget of Rp. 2.5 billion. However, as much as Rp. 1.9 billion of the total budget also ran out for honorariums and official travel. "Imagine how much? No 20 percent is used to really develop micro-enterprises. The third example is the development of an agricultural extension center, this means that in districts it is from the district budget. The purpose of building and rehabilitating the budget counseling center is Rp. 1 billion, amounting to Rp. 734 million for official travel fees and meetings," he explained. Jokowi said that operational costs or overhead costs should not be more than 20—25 percent of the total budget. Therefore, Jokowi asked that the targets and results of programs in the APBN and APBD should be the focus of using the budget.

"Focus on superior programs, there are also many programs. Once again focus on superior programs, such as handling stunting, eradicating (community from) poverty, helping the productivity of farmers and fishermen, controlling inflation, helping investment and others, and even then having to buy domestic products," said Jokowi.