Following Vehicle Procurement Controversy, East Kalimantan Provincial Government Allocates Rp10.5 Billion for Governor's Expert Team Operations
To support the governor’s work in formulating policy and accelerating regional development programmes, the East Kalimantan Provincial Government has allocated Rp10.5 billion for the Governor’s Expert Team in the 2026 budget year. The allocation is listed in the Details of Expenditure Budget document for Regional Work Units (RKA-SKPD) of the East Kalimantan provincial government.
The majority of these funds have been allocated for payment of honorariums to the Expert Team for Strategic Acceleration of Development for the 2025-2030 period, which amounts to approximately Rp8.34 billion. Meanwhile, approximately Rp2.9 billion is allocated for official travel expenses for the team, both within and outside the region.
The expert team structure comprises a number of strategic positions with a monthly honorarium payment scheme during a nine-month work period. The position of team chairman is held by one person receiving Rp40 million per month, or approximately Rp360 million during the period.
Below the team chairman are two deputy chairmen, each receiving Rp35 million per month. Calculated over nine months, the total budget for both positions amounts to approximately Rp630 million. There are also four field or division coordinators with honorariums of Rp30 million per month per person.
With the same work period, the total budget for this position amounts to approximately Rp1.08 billion. The field or division members number 11 people with honorariums of Rp20 million per month. Overall, the budget allocated for member positions amounts to approximately Rp1.98 billion over nine months. Additionally, there is an advisory board comprising eight people.
Each advisor receives an honorarium of Rp45 million per month, so the total budget for this position amounts to approximately Rp3.24 billion. The budget document also lists honorariums for additional field or division coordinators numbering 35 people with a total allocation of approximately Rp1.05 billion.
With this composition, the total budget for the activities of the East Kalimantan Governor’s Expert Team in 2026 amounts to approximately Rp10.5 billion for a nine-month work period. Of this amount, Rp8.34 billion is allocated for honorariums and approximately Rp2.9 billion for official travel.
Sri Wahyuni, Regional Secretary of East Kalimantan, stated that provisions regarding the expert team have been included in the appendix of the governor’s regulation and were previously consulted with the central government.
“The regulation appendix was consulted with the Interior Ministry. Since these are expert personnel and we also refer to several other regions,” said Sri Wahyuni on Monday (9 March).
According to her, the determination of honorarium amounts was conducted through various considerations, including comparison with similar policies in several other regions. She added that the expert team is needed to provide strategic input to the governor on various government policies and regional development.
“Since these are expert personnel, naturally we need people who possess expertise and experience in their respective fields,” she said.
Sri also mentioned that several regions have higher expert personnel honorariums compared to East Kalimantan.
“Including Jakarta, which is even higher than ours. We are not at that level,” she said.
Nevertheless, she emphasised that budget preparation continues to take into account the region’s financial capacity as well as the provincial government’s needs in supporting development programmes.
“Everything we adjust according to the region’s capacity and the provincial government’s needs,” she concluded.
Governor of East Kalimantan Province, Rudy Mas’ud, has officially decided to return the new official vehicle following public scrutiny.