President Jokowi: Use Budget to Boost Economic Growth

President Jokowi accompanied by Vice President Ma’ruf Amin and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani hands over 2020 Budget Execution Lists (DIPA) to PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono, at the State Palace, Jakarta, Thursday (14/11). (Photo by: Rahmat/PR)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Thursday (4/11) at the State Palace, Jakarta handed over Budget Execution Lists (DIPA), Regional Transfer Funds, and Village Funds lists to ministries and institutions, as well as and regional leaders.

President Jokowi expressed hope that following the distribution of DIPA amounting to Rp909 trillion for ministries and institutions and Rp556 trillion for regional transfer, his administration can change their mindset and old ways of working.

“Use the budget to draw up expenditures, particularly capital expenditure immediately,” the President firmly said.

Quoting the statement from Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani, President Jokowi reminded about global economic uncertainty and the slowdown that are affecting almost every countries.

Thus, Indonesia’s fiscal instruments and the State Budget (APBN) are expected to stimulate economic growth at the earliest opportunity, he said.

“Therefore, please conduct auction in January. This is an order,” the President said, adding that ministries and institutions must use the APBN starting January 2020 so there will be no considerable amount of budget left for e-tendering process in November.

On that occasion, President Jokowi also called on high-ranking officials receiving the DIPA such as ministers, heads of institutions, governors, regents, mayors not to focused only on achieving budget realization but also on spending the budget wisely for the benefits of the people.

“That is the most important thing. Change from the old mindset from achieving 99 or 100 percent of budget realization without thinking whether the people might feel the benefits of the programs or not,” he added.

Because collecting Non-Tax State Revenues (PNBP) is not an easy task, the President said, the Government must consider the quality, the success of programs, and benefits for the people in spending the budget because if the Government collects more taxes, it must be spent better.

For the record, President Jokowi symbolically handed over DIPA to 12 ministries/institutions, among others: Ministry of Education and Culture, Minister of Religious Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ministry of the Environment and Forestry, Ministry of State Secretariat, Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI).

The President also symbolically handed over Regional Transfer Funds and Village Funds lists to a number of regional leaders.

The event was attended by Indonesian Onward Cabinet Ministers, heads of government institutions, and a number of governors. (HIM/RAH/ES)

Translated by : Rany Anjany Subachrum
Edited by : M. Ersan Pamungkas