Regarding Deliberation of 2016 State Budget Draft, Gov’t Hopes to Reach Compromise

Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung Answering Questions From Journalists at the office of OKI Regent, South Sulawesi on Thursday (29/10)

Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung believed that the deliberation of the draft of the 2016 State Budget at the House of Representatives (DPR-RI) would not meet a deadlock although the deliberation period would end on 30 October 2015.

He added that the Government also believes that both the House and the Government have the same goal: how to make the state budget become a ‘vehicle’ to bring prosperity to the people.

“I believe that it won’t meet a deadlock because we will find a compromise and a way out and regarding matters that are now questioned by several fractions and members of the House, we hope we can find the way out,” Pramono said to reporters on the sideline of his working visit with President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo to Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI) on Thursday (29/10).

Pramono’s statement came in relation to the development of the deliberation of the 2016 State Budget at DPR-RI, in which a number of fractions have expressed their possible rejections. In the meantime, fractions from political parties supporting the Government can accept the 2016 State Budget.

For the record, if the draft of the 2016 State Budget is not accepted by DPR-RI, the Government has to use 2015 State Budget for the 2016 Fiscal Year.

Pramono said that he had also reported the matter to the President, who has just returned from Palembang, South Sulawesi on Thursday (29/10) after a visit to United States since Saturday last week.

In addition, Minister of Finance Bambang Brodjonegoro had also reported the matter to President Jokowi.

Regarding approaches to be taken by President Jokowi to deal with the ‘threat’ of the deadlock, Pramono said that the Government had certainly communicated with political parties supporting the Government and especially with political parties who do not support the Government and would also avoid voting to finalize the deliberation.

“Luhut (Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs) and me are the ones who communicate with the fractions,” Pramono said.

Pramono further said that because the 2016 State Budget is formulated by the administration of President Jokowi, it is expected the state budget can materialize the intentions of the President in his Nawa Cita.

“Minister of Finance has also been instructed that if there are still differences, we have to settle the differences, find a way out, and reach a middle ground,” he added.

Pramono also ensured that President Jokowi would not communicate with DPR-RI.

“Luhut and other ministers are enough,” he added. (RAH/JAY/ES) (EP/YM/Naster)