Jakarta – Head of the Presidential Communication Office (PCO), Hasan Nasbi, emphasized that the government is taking steps to implement budget efficiency to increase productivity and stimulate the economic sector. This policy aims to ensure that state funds are used optimally for the welfare of the people.
According to him, government business travel costs have reached Rp 44 trillion annually. If efficiency of 50 percent is applied, about Rp 20 trillion could be redirected to more productive needs, such as building schools in various regions of Indonesia.
“This policy is not just about saving, but about reallocating funds to sectors that are more beneficial for the wider community. If we achieve 50 percent efficiency, Rp 20 trillion can be allocated to build 10,000 schools,” said Hasan.
In addition to the education sector, savings from government travel can also bring significant benefits to the agricultural sector. The funds saved could be used to buy up to 3 million tons of rice from farmers at a minimum price of Rp 6,500 per kilogram. This would provide farmers with better price certainty and allow the agricultural sector to grow.
“This step can support the agricultural sector and even increase the subsidized fertilizer quota. With these savings, the subsidized fertilizer amount could reach 9.5 million tons. Therefore, the budget is redirected to productive activities, not just saved and stored,” he explained.
Hasan also highlighted the ineffective use of the budget, especially toward the end of the year. According to him, in the last three months before the fiscal year ends, many institutions rush to spend their budgets without proper planning. This often results in wasteful spending that has little value.
“As we approach the end of the year, there’s often a tendency to spend the remaining budget. We’re all familiar with the wasteful practices that occur in October, November, and December,” he said.
He likened this budget efficiency effort to removing fat without reducing muscle, meaning cutting waste without disrupting performance. Hasan also praised BPOM (National Agency of Drug and Food Control) as one of the institutions that has successfully adjusted to the budget efficiency policy.
“BPOM might be one of the first institutions committed to working optimally, even with budget efficiency. For instance, their testing laboratories continue to operate with electricity and machines running only when needed, but are turned off when not in use,” he concluded.
