Home Affairs Minister Reveals Proposal to Extend Aceh's Special Autonomy Funds
Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian has revealed a proposal to extend the special autonomy funds (otsus) for Aceh, which are due to end in 2027.
Aceh’s otsus funds have been in place since 2008 for a 20-year period, with the allocation set at 2% of the General Allocation Fund (DAU) for the first 15 years (2008-2022) and 1% DAU for the remaining five years (2023-2027).
Tito stated that the proposal also involves increasing the amount of otsus funds.
According to him, this suggestion stems from Aceh’s poverty rate, which remains relatively high compared to the national average, as does the unemployment rate.
“Although the Human Development Index has improved, it is still below the national level; they still need special autonomy funds, and they are proposing that, perhaps looking at Papua’s increase to 2.25% until 2041,” Tito said during a meeting with Commission II of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) on Monday (13/4).
“Then they also hope that this otsus will be extended, and the amount of the funds, if it cannot be the same as Papua’s 2.25%, should return to 2%. That is the request from our friends there,” he added.
Tito described the proposal as quite rational, given that Aceh is currently recovering from floods and landslides in November 2025.
“As the Head of the Task Force, I estimate that the timeline to normality—only functional normality—might take another two to three months,” he stated.
Tito explained that amid the government’s ongoing repairs, disasters have struck several areas in Aceh multiple times.
He noted that the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), National Police (Polri), Ministry of Public Works (Kementerian PU), and the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) are working to normalise conditions in Aceh.
“Even in the midst of repairs to various things like damaged schools, mud, and so on, our leadership has conveyed that it is not easy because last month there was flooding again. What was cleaned in Pidie Jaya flooded again. In Central Tapanuli, it was cleaned and then flooded again, leading to evacuations once more,” he said.
He estimated that recovery in Aceh would take at least three years at the fastest. Numerous bridges, roads, and educational facilities have been affected and need repair.
Additionally, tens of thousands of residents’ homes have been damaged or lost, and dozens of rivers require normalisation.
Tito expressed support for extending Aceh’s otsus funds.
“Well, this might also be one of the drivers; in our view, there is a need to extend the special autonomy funds in Aceh, and if the state’s fiscal capacity allows, perhaps return it to 2%, that is our suggestion,” he said.