High Employee Expenditure, DPRD Reminds West Lombok Regency Not to Lay Off Employees
A member of the West Lombok DPRD, Munawir Haris, has highlighted the high employee expenditure of the West Lombok Regency Government, which reaches 34 per cent in the 2026 Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBD). This figure exceeds the standard set by the central government at 30 per cent.
Munawir assessed that this situation could potentially cause instability in regional finances if not anticipated promptly. He requested that the West Lombok Regency Government work extra hard to boost Local Own-Source Revenue (PAD) to cover the regional finances affected by this policy.
“We are faced with a situation of 34 per cent employee expenditure. The solution, like it or not, is that PAD must increase,” said Munawir during the Plenary Meeting of the Accountability Statement Report (LKPJ) of the West Lombok Regent for the 2025 Fiscal Year in the DPRD West Lombok Meeting Room on Thursday (2/4/2026).
According to Munawir, if this issue is not balanced with sufficient PAD, the worst-case scenario would involve cuts or laying off some employees. However, he reminded the West Lombok Regency Government not to take such steps.
“People already have a NIP, they are proud to be civil servants, and suddenly they are laid off. This is not just about numbers, but about people’s lives,” added the politician from the National Mandate Party (PAN).
Munawir warned that this issue should not be taken lightly. The local government, he said, must immediately formulate strategic steps so that the target for adjusting employee expenditure in 2027 can be achieved without causing social unrest.
On the other hand, Munawir also highlighted the spending patterns in Regional Device Organisations (OPD), which he deemed inefficient. He asked OPDs to be more frugal, especially in terms of official travel that often absorbs large budgets.
“Reduce official travel that is not really important. Just focus on programmes that truly have an impact,” added Munawir.
The Deputy Regent of West Lombok, Nurul Adha, promised to strive to increase PAD to balance the high employee expenditure. However, she also reminded all parties to prepare for various possibilities that may arise amid the current financial situation.
The West Lombok Regency Government, she said, is currently seeking the best solutions so that employee expenditure adjustments can be carried out without disrupting public services or the welfare of apparatus. “We continue to strive to increase PAD, but we must also be prepared for various possibilities,” said Nurul Adha.