Board rejects public service budget cuts

Mustaqim Adamrah ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 07/08/2008 10:21 AM  |  City

The Jakarta development planning board says it will provide no assistance to any requests that will affect public services or multi-year programs in the draft of the revised 2008 city budget.

Board secretary Priyadi Priyautama said Monday the board did not recommend any cut that would disturb the operations of hospitals, community health centers, senior citizen homes or orphanages, or that would interrupt dedicated programs such as those in public works agencies at the provincial and the municipal levels.

"We only propose expenditure cuts on consultancies, studies, commissions for services and official trips to, say, other countries. The Jakarta tourism agency usually has official trips overseas," he said at City Hall after a preliminary session at the City Council.

"A working unit will need an approval from the governor for expenditure cuts we don't recommend."

The administration submitted the draft of the revised budget, with efficiency plans in case of fuel price increases.

The draft stipulates that the 2008 city budget be reduced from Rp 20.59 trillion (US$2.23 billion) to Rp 20.25 trillion.

Priyadi said expenditure cuts were determined by every working unit, based on thir own priorities.

"For example, allocations to dredge Angke River and to build a (TransJakarta) bus terminal have been cut because the relevant working units believe the projects will not be finished by the end of this year. It will be a waste," he said.

According to the secretary of the council's Commission B on Economy Nurmansjah Lubis, the administration has proposed cuts for breakwater construction from Rp 21.7 billion to Rp 6 billion and for construction repair at the Muara Angke port in North Jakarta from Rp 10.7 billion to Rp 6.7 billion.

Other proposed cuts to be deliberated by the commission are the Muara Angke river dredging from Rp 5.6 billion to Rp 3.5 billion and the development of the Pulo Gebang bus terminal from Rp 25 billion to Rp 1 billion, he said.

"The Rp 12.5 billion budget for the development of tunnel 103 (in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta) is totally cut," he said.

Budget realization has reached 23 percent as of this month, while around 56 percent of the city budget is ready for disbursement to all working units, according to the assistant to the city's secretary for financial affairs Sukri Bey.

"Budget realization is relatively low merely due to administrative issues," he said.

"But we're doing well as we have already received requests to disburse funds that add up to 56 percent of the city budget. It means 56 percent of the programs are ready to run."

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