Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at Opening of the 2024 National Internal Supervision Coordination Meeting, at the State Palace, Jakarta Province, May 22, 2024

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.
Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Good morning,
May prosperity be upon us all.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Esteemed Guests,
Last year, if I recall correctly, in June, I signed a Presidential Decree regarding a 100 percent performance allowance for the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP). This serves as an expression of appreciation for BPKP, with the expectation of enhancing and motivating its performance.

Because BPKP plays a significant role, once again, in overseeing the continuity of development to ensure that people reap maximum benefits. If we liken it to a train, BPKP is responsible for laying down straight tracks and ensuring the train reaches its destination swiftly and accurately. Simply adding more red lights or imposing numerous restrictions would hinder progress rather than expedite it. If we overly restrict, it will inevitably slow down progress, even though our intention is for the train to reach its destination promptly. If we act out of fear, the train may come to a halt altogether. When given the role of project leader, everybody says “No, no, no, please appoint other person.” It’s quite funny since typically, the competition revolves around securing the role of project leader. This underscores our aim to ensure the train reaches its destination swiftly and accurately.

The performance target for BPKP and internal supervisors is not merely to find mistakes, but primarily to prevent irregularities. They should be provided with proper guidance and direction, rather than setting traps or ignoring issues. “Well, this is wrong, but never mind.” Corrections should be made promptly, “It doesn’t work this way.” The focus should not be on catching individuals making mistakes, but on maximizing the number of people benefiting from government programs. That’s where the focus should lie.

And, in the future, we anticipate even greater challenges ahead. Government programs and expenditures will inevitably expand, as will the increasingly high demands from society. Even minor issues can quickly go viral, amplifying societal demands. As we move forward, we expect these demands to continue to grow.

Moreover, competition among nations will intensify. Once again, I have often conveyed that swift nations will outpace slower ones. It’s not about the size or development status of a country; it’s about speed. Therefore, speed and accuracy are crucial.

Therefore, BPKP must innovate, particularly in leveraging technology. Various tools are available, such as early detection and exclusion system platforms for issuing warnings and blacklisting parties involved in fraud or irregularities. Additionally, there are rescoring tools for detecting budget disbursement fraud, as well as robotic process automation systems for monitoring automation. Internet of Things sensors and satellite imagery can also be utilized for field project monitoring, offering enhanced supervision and monitoring capabilities.

Once again, I emphasize that the Government Internal Monitoring Apparatus (APIP) exists to offer solutions and prevent issues. We must prioritize achieving outcomes and delivering benefits, with a focus on maximizing benefits for the community. This approach ensures continuous improvement in our development efforts every day.

That concludes my remarks on this auspicious opportunity. And, by saying bismillahirrahmanirrahim, I hereby open the 2024 National Internal Supervision Coordination Meeting.

I thank you.
Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

(RIF/LW)