Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto stated that the\ngovernment has managed to save up to Rp308 trillion in the budget after\nenforcing efficiency policies by slashing unproductive spending\npositions.<\/p>\n
In a discussion session with several journalists and economists at\nPresident Prabowo\u2019s private residence in Hambalang, Bogor Regency, West\nJava, this week, President Prabowo explained that the large-scale\nefficiency of the state revenue and expenditure budget (APBN) aims to\nprotect the people\u2019s money from potential criminal acts of\ncorruption.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we first implemented efficiency measures, we saved Rp308\ntrillion from the central government. Where did that come from? From all\nsorts of unreasonable expenditures. My conviction is that all of this\nRp308 trillion, if not cut, would lead to corruption,\u201d said President\nPrabowo when discussing efficiency issues in an event titled \u201cPresident\nPrabowo Answers\u201d, as quoted from the official broadcast of the\nIndonesian Government Communication Agency confirmed in Jakarta on\nThursday.<\/p>\n
The President explained the need for efficiency by looking at\nIndonesia\u2019s ICOR score, which tends to be higher than that of\nneighbouring countries.<\/p>\n
ICOR or Incremental Capital Output Ratio (ICOR) is an indicator that\nshows the level of efficiency in using a country\u2019s budget. The lower the\nICOR score, the more efficient the country is in using its budget.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, said President Prabowo, has a score of 6.5, while\nneighbouring countries such as Thailand and Malaysia each have 4, and\nVietnam 3.6.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, this figure means 30 percent less efficient than Thailand,\nMalaysia, the Philippines, or Vietnam. If I use this as a basis, it\napproaches our GDP of Rp3,700 trillion or 230 billion US dollars. Around\n30 percent of that is 75 billion US dollars. This is inefficient,\u201d he\nstated.<\/p>\n
On the same occasion, the President then outlined the unproductive\nspending positions that have been cut, including the purchase of office\nstationery, expenditures for meetings and seminars outside the office,\nand the habit of procuring goods such as computers and office equipment\nalmost every year.<\/p>\n
Not only that, the President also found studies that do not address\nthe main issues, such as poverty and employment.<\/p>\n
Therefore, the President emphasised that the efficiency policy will\ncontinue to be maintained given the threat of a crisis that many\ncountries, including Indonesia, will face.<\/p>\n
Several countries, the President stated, have anticipated the\npotential crisis by issuing policies to reduce working days and\nimplement a work-from-home (WFH) system.<\/p>\n
\u201cI see other countries, for example, reducing working days from five\nto four (days), the Philippines, Pakistan. Then work from home. During\nCOVID, we did it quite successfully. I think we can do that too. Perhaps\n75 percent of employees or civil servants can work from home,\u201d said the\nPresident.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/prabowo-state-budget-saves-rp308-trillion-from-cutting-unproductive-spending-1773935473", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }