Minister Pigai Requests Additional Rp492 Billion Budget, What For?

Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai has proposed an additional budget of Rp492.9 billion for the 2027 fiscal year. Pigai considers the indicative budget ceiling of Rp728,129,471,000 from the Ministry of Finance to be inadequate, prompting the request for extra funds. “Therefore, we are proposing an addition of Rp492,900,376,000 to the DPR,” Pigai stated during a meeting with Commission XIII of the DPR at the Parliamentary Complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday, 17 June 2026. Pigai explained that the ministry is seeking the budget increase because it has just recruited 500 people to serve as human rights mobilisers. “This year we have already recruited 500 people. Automatically, these 500 people we have recruited are not allocated any money in the indicative ceiling by the Ministry of Finance,” he said. If approved, Pigai noted the budget would be allocated with Rp267.9 billion for management support and over Rp224.9 billion for the advancement and enforcement of human rights. The management support programme includes salaries and allowances for the 500 new employees at the Ministry of Human Rights. “The reason for the management support programme is that we have already shifted the previous management support programme to pay salaries and allowances for the 500 new employees, so this is just a small, partial addition. But the decision is entirely up to you, ladies and gentlemen,” Pigai concluded.