Bobby Nasution Rejects OPD Markup Projects: 'Crazy—I'm Not Having It'

North Sumatra Governor Bobby Afif Nasution has said he refused to sign a number of project submissions from the provincial government’s Regional Apparatus Organisations (OPD) that were illogical and seemed to be marked up. He noted that many parties approached him trying to push through various projects by asking for his approval. However, several submissions angered him because the project documents were said to have suddenly appeared on his desk for signing without ever being presented openly.

‘Though I had not yet been inaugurated, after winning the North Sumatra gubernatorial election, the KPU said many people called to congratulate me; after that they submit requests to obtain signatures. I asked, what project is this? Why is it suddenly on my desk? Crazy, I don’t want it,’ he said at the North Sumatra Governor’s Office on Thursday (21 May).

He highlighted a physical construction project for a building with a budget valued at Rp484 billion. He claimed the project was never presented in detail, neither in concept nor in the budget breakdown.

‘The building was never explained or exposed; suddenly they asked for a signature, I won’t sign. No one told me. It wasn’t presented. It walked into my desk asking for a signature. How convenient. The value runs into hundreds of billions. I refused,’ he said.

Bobby said he did not want to approve projects indiscriminately without clear study, especially if the budget appeared inflated. He said he would scrutinise all OPD project submissions more strictly to prevent budget waste or project manipulation within the provincial government.

‘Though I won’t sign unless the process is clear. Everything must be transparent and reasonable,’ he asserted.

Bobby warned OPD within the provincial government not to submit projects deemed anomalous or to rely on political proximity to obtain budget approvals.

‘Every development programme must truly benefit the public, not merely consume regional funds,’ he asserted.