Govt urge ministries, state agencies to draft 2010 budget soon

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati urges ministries and government agencies, as well as regional administrations, to draft their budgets immediately to set the 2010 state budget.

"Ministries and government agencies are asked to prepare their 2010 budgets soon, unlike in previous years. Regional budgets should be drafted quickly too, not like this year in which some regions have not yet finished drafting their budgets," she said Wednesday at the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) building.

“Slow budget drafting will halt economic growth. This has become more important amid the global financial crisis faced by Indonesia,” she said.

"The budget form will be simplified (to allow faster budget drafting)," said Mulyani.

She added that regions should design a flexible 2010 budget so that it could be adjusted quickly to the changing economic conditions.