NTB DPRD Please Acting Governor Solve Budget Deficit Issues

Documentation - Regional Secretary of NTB Province Lalu Gita Ariadi. (ANTARA/Nur Imansyah).

MATARAM - West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Provincial DPRD hopes that Acting Governor of NTB Lalu Gita Ariadi, who has been appointed by President Joko Widodo, can solve the budget deficit problem due to debt that has entangled the provincial budget.

Deputy Chairperson of the NTB DPRD, Muzihir, also hopes that Lalu Gita can immediately take steps to restore the NTB APBD.

"The homework (homework) is only healthy for the APBD, that's all. If possible, our 2024 APBD can be healthy and in 2023 this debt is complete," said Muzihir as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, September 1.

Muzihir assessed that Lalu Gita Ariadi understood the condition of the NTB APBD because he was the regional secretary of the province.

"Approximately where the leak was, he also knew about it and the leak had to be closed so it wouldn't leak again," added Muzihir.

Regarding the debt arrears in 2022 of around Rp. 100 billion and the absence of an activity program implemented in 2023, this has also become the attention of the NTB DPRD.

"The remaining Rp100 billion debt can be completed this year, God willing. However, this problem is the absence of an activity program that will run in 2023. In fact, this has entered the second quarter. Now, this is the governor's heavy task," he explained.

However, he was grateful that President Joko Widodo chose a regional male figure as the acting governor of NTB.

"We are grateful that finally the regional people were appointed by the president," said Muzihir.

The same thing was conveyed by Deputy Chairman of the NTB Regional House of Representatives, Furqoni Farinduan. Naufar said that the election of Lalu Gita Ariadi as the Acting Governor of NTB was a good thing to continue the leadership baton in NTB until the definitive regional head was elected as a result of the 2024 Pilkada.

According to Naufar, then Gita must immediately take quick and strategic steps, especially to resolve regional financial conditions.

"Our hope for Pak Gita is that the authority will be stronger, especially to solve the problem of the budget deficit and hopefully there will be no changes," he said.

In addition to debt problems in the political year ahead of the 2024 Simultaneous Elections, the NTB DPRD also asked Lalu Gita to maintain the neutrality of ASN.

"Because, again, the Acting Officer was determined, not elected in a political contestation; but the Acting President was appointed to fill the vacant position of governor," he said.