Gov’t Allocates Rp25.59 Trillion for 2019 Elections

Ministry of Finance has allocated a total budget of Rp25.59 trillion for the upcoming simultaneous elections on 17 April 2019, or a 61% increase compared to that of the 2014 Elections amounting to Rp15.62 trillion.

“We allocated a budget of Rp465.71 billion and Rp9.33 trillion in 2017 and 2018 respectively. In 2019, we allocate Rp15.79 trillion. In total, our budget allocation reaches Rp25.59 trillion,” said Director General of Budget of the Ministry of Finance Askolani as quoted by www.kemenkeu.go.id, Tuesday (26/3).

Askolani added that the budget allocations are aimed for organizing the elections and supervision (Rp4.85 trillion), and supporting activities (Rp3.29 trillion) such as for security aspect of the elections (Rp3.29 trillion).

According to him, there are two factors that lead to the increase in the elections’ budget. First, he added, is the creation of new regions resulting in an addition of one provincial General Elections Commission (KPU Provinsi) from 33 to 34 provincial KPU as well as regency/city KPU from 497 to 514 regency/city KPU.

Second, an increase in honorarium fees for elections organizers, such as for the district elections committees (PPK), polling committees (PPS), and polling organizing groups (KPPS) as well as for the committees abroad, he added.

“We have made calculations based on the KPU’s proposal which takes into account the impact of inflation,” Askolani said.

In the meantime, Head of the KPU Data Planning Bureau Sumariyandono said that despite a significant increase in the 2019 elections budget, the commission has managed to achieve a significant budget efficiency amounting to 50 percent.

The KPU, he added, has also made several efforts to cut the 2019 elections budget, for example, by cutting the cost to update voters’ data since it only needs to be done once at the beginning of the elections preparation. As for logistics procurement, the KPU has made it electronically through the National Catalog, and this is proven to save a considerable budget from the available ceiling, he added

“Logistics procurement can save 50.57 percent or equivalent to Rp483 billion in 2018, and 31.4 percent or equivalent to Rp355 billion 10 2319,” Sumariyandono said.

The KPU, he added, has also sought a new breakthrough in the use of ballot boxes made of water-resistant cardboard and the cost of procuring a ballot box is said to be cut by 70 percent. The KPU ensures that the ballot box has passed the test of strength and feasibility of use, he added.

Sumariyandono further said that another effort made by the KPU to reduce costs is in terms of facilitating campaign for parliamentary candidates and out of the ten campaign facilitation as stipulated in the Law, the KPU limits the facilitation to only three times. (Ministry of Finance PR/ES)

Translated by: Muhardi

Edited by: M. Ersan Pamungkas