TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Governors want extra Rp 1 trillion for each province
The chairman of the Association of Indonesian Provincial Administrations (APPSI) and South Sulawesi Governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo told President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on Monday that governors across the country hoped the government would allocate what he called "fresh funding" of Rp 1 trillion (US$82
Change Size
T
he chairman of the Association of Indonesian Provincial Administrations (APPSI) and South Sulawesi Governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo told President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on Monday that governors across the country hoped the government would allocate what he called "fresh funding" of Rp 1 trillion (US$82.5 million) for each province.
"During our previous three [APPSI] meetings, we expressed the hope for new funds of Rp 1 trillion for [every] province," Syahrul said during a meeting with 34 governors held by Jokowi at the Bogor Palace, West Java, on Monday.
"We expect food security -- through using the Rp 1 trillion for the regions -- will be able to strengthen the [goals] that are the priorities of the President," he added.
Syahrul's statement was also made following last week's decision of Jokowi to hike the prices of subsidized fuel in his bid to reallocate the ever-increasing funds spent on fuel subsidies to finance the government's development programs.
"We told the previous government of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono that fuel subsidies should be withdrawn and replaced by programs that are more beneficial to the people," Syahrul said.
Later, in his opening speech, Jokowi told the governors that the meeting aimed to hear their input in order to consolidate the programs of the central and local administrations.
"During this event, we want to really hear what the provinces want, particularly those related to the existing provincial programs so that those can be synchronized with the central government's programs," he said.
Monday's meeting was a follow-up meeting to Jokowi's first official gathering with the 34 governors as president held in early November at the State Palace in Jakarta.
At that time, Jokowi told the local leaders from across the country to thoroughly review regional spending on administrative affairs so that they could allocate more from regional budgets to development expenditure.
Jokowi has also instructed all governors, mayors and regents to establish one-stop business services in their respective regions by next year, in a move to attract investors and boost national development.
Although the country has implemented regional autonomy, the President still authorizes two allocations, which are part of the annual budget, for every region. (hhr)
