Viral claim that Rp9 billion was budgeted for one ambulance; Kutai Timur Regency says it was an input error

Viral claims circulated on social media that the Kutai Timur Regency Government (Pemkab Kutim), East Kalimantan, budgeted one ambulance at Rp9 billion, as listed in the 2024 General Procurement Plan (RUP). The Kutai Timur Regency Government denies the claim.

According to detikKalimantan, on Wednesday (4 March 2026), Uud Sudiharjo, Head of General Affairs of the Secretariat of Kutai Timur Regency, said the assertion is untrue. He explained that the Rp9 billion figure represents the cumulative cost for several ambulances along with their technical specifications.

‘Information stating that the Rp9 billion budget is for a single ambulance is not true and does not reflect the facts in the contract implementation documents,’ he said in a formal statement on the regency’s official website.

Uud emphasised that the data should be recorded per unit. He said the error is purely administrative in data input. ‘In the RUP system the unit is shown as LS (lump sum) when it should be per unit. But this is an administrative mistake in data input. The value represents the accumulation of several ambulances with technical specifications, medical bodywork, and equipment in line with health service standards,’ he explained.

Uud assured that the data-entry error on the RUP does not affect the procurement process. He stressed that all stages continue to be carried out in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations and through a transparent mechanism.