Minister Prasetyo: No Issue with Budget Increase to Prevent Corruption

Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi has said that increasing the budget for oversight institutions and law enforcement officials is not a problem if it is required to strengthen the prevention of corruption in the implementation of government programmes. “If that becomes part of the consequence of strengthening supervision, we think there is no problem because it is better to increase the budget to prevent criminal acts of corruption,” Prasetyo said at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Friday. The statement was in response to President Prabowo Subianto’s directive during the National Consolidation of the Free Nutritious Meals Programme organised by the National Nutrition Agency at the Sentul International Convention Centre in Bogor, West Java, on Wednesday. According to him, the President requested that law enforcement and oversight bodies, such as the Attorney General’s Office, the National Police, the Development and Finance Comptroller’s Office (BPKP), and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), continue to carry out their supervisory functions optimally. “If they need reinforcement, they should convey this to the President. The spirit is that we are truly trying as hard as possible to fight this culture of corruption,” he said. Prasetyo added that all government programmes are essentially already under monitoring mechanisms. The BPKP, as the government’s internal auditor, routinely supervises processes taking place in ministries and institutions. At the consolidation forum in Sentul, President Prabowo asked the BPKP, KPK, Attorney General’s Office, and other law enforcement officials to convey the requirements needed to strengthen their duties. “Head of BPKP, what do you need? If you need additional personnel, whatever you need, I will fulfil it. Chair of the KPK, whatever you need, report it, I will fulfil it. Attorney General, whatever you need, I will fulfil it,” the President said. According to Prabowo, strengthening oversight institutions and law enforcement apparatus is necessary to ensure there is no misuse of the people’s money and to maintain the authority of the government and the state. “I do not want the people’s money stolen, and there are no exceptions,” the President stressed.