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Ministry has final say over Anies's proposed hike for experts: Tjahjo
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Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan walks past the City Council on Nov. 15 after presenting a speech on Jakarta's draft budget and the vision and mission of his governorship. (JP/Seto Wardhana.)
H
ome Minister Thahjo Kumolo has claimed authority over how much of the city budget Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan could allocate toward paying his expert staffers, kompas.com reported on Wednesday.
"We have not received the [proposed budget], but in principle, the Home Ministry has the authority to make revisions," Thahjo was quoted in the report. "The most important issue is that Pak Anies-Sandi should have a scale of priorities. Things that are beyond the limit should first be discussed with the Jakarta Council," he added, referring to the Anies-Sandiaga gubernatorial pair.
Tjahjo was responding to Anies's proposal to increase the allocation for expert staffers in the city’s 2018 draft budget to Rp 28.5 billion (US$2.1 million), a massive increase from the current allocation of Rp 2.3 billion ($170,000).
Anies said the budget had ballooned as it had in the past, and that staffers were being paid through funding schemes with private firms.
Read also: Anies increases allocation for team to Rp 28.5 billion
However, the home minister said that he would only make a decision on the budget proposal after Anies and the City Coucil had struck an agreement on the issue.
"So far, it is only a proposal made by the Governor, and he has the authority to make such a proposal. But we're waiting for a joint decision with the City Council," said Thahjo, who hails from President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
