Introductory Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at a Plenary Cabinet Meeting on the Improvement of State Civil Apparatus’ Performance through Government Integrated Digital Service at the State Palace, Special Capital Region of Jakarta, January 9, 2024

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.
Assalamuálaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Good morning,
May peace be upon us all,
Om swastiastu,
Namo Buddhaya,
Greeting of Virtue.

Distinguished Vice President, Coordinating Ministers, Ministers, and Participants of this Plenary Cabinet Meeting,

During the final year in office, in 2024, I would like to remind you all to remain vigilant and be careful of global geopolitical dynamics and global economic uncertainties. We also need to preserve the country’s internal condition particularly ahead of the simultaneous elections to be held in February. We must also set up plans to anticipate the holy fasting month of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr in March and April 2024.

Secondly, climate change that can disrupt the scheduled planting and harvest seasons also needs to be anticipated. Therefore, we need to thoroughly calculate and assess our strategic food reserves. We must take into account the climate change.

Third, though I’ve always reminded all to accelerate state expenditures, in early 2024, once again I would like to call for acceleration of regional budget expenditures at provincial levels and regency/city levels, as well as acceleration of state budget expenditures.

In terms of economy of the grassroots, I want food to be secured, both the prices and the stock. Food scarcity and increase of price must be prevented. Thus, we must monitor it in each regency and province so that we can maintain the stock and provide food at affordable prices to the people.

Regarding fuel and gas, the stock must always be available. No regencies should experience shortage of gas due to distribution issue. So, we must monitor and observe it, carefully.

I also need to underscore that social assistance, including food assistance, the Family Hope Program (PKH), and cash transfer assistance must be carried on and monitored to ensure it is disbursed right on target.

Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reforms (PAN RB) will talk more about this later, but lastly, I would like to remind you that we still have 9 months. Let us use this momentum to reform the bureaucracy in terms of digitalization since digital transformation is a necessity and the Government’s integrated digital services must be adopted. There are thousands of digital platforms at ministries and institutions so it must be integrated. There should be no more new applications that only serve as outputs of projects but not make the process, particularly the Government digital services, more easy and simple. More importantly, we need to prevent excessive budget spent for digital infrastructure and to strengthen the country’s digital security.

That concludes my remarks on this auspicious occasion. Finally, I urge Minister of PAN RB to speed up implementation of an electronic-based government system (SPBE), to integrate ministries/institutions portals into one national portal, and to strengthen the country’s digital security, at the same time.

I call on Minister of State-owned Enterprises to support the transformation through state-owned enterprise Perum Peruri [as a primary partner] in realizing GovTech Indonesia; Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Communication and Informatics to speed up the development and implementation of digital ID in six months; and Minister of Communication and Informatics to immediately transform government cloud policies to accelerate the improvement of our digital services. Tasks of those ministers will be coordinated by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment.

That concludes my remarks.
I thank you.
Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

(RAS/LW)