JAKARTA. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has urges Cabinet members to increase efficiency in the 2017 government working plan (RKP), underlining that state money must follow ministries’ programs instead of preset allocations.

In the plenary Cabinet meeting at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday, Jokowi called on ministers to exercise strict control over their budgets and use funds appropriately.

"The budget policy is [in the hands of] the minister. His subordinates may provide the details, but the policy is under the minister," Jokowi said.

In particular, he demanded that no more “state money should follow functions” in RKP 2017, indicating that state budget funds should be allocated for programs—based on the key-performance index of each program – rather than to meet ministries’ fixed allocation plans.

In the past decades, state budget funds would be channeled to ministries and spent evenly to the subordinate directorates based on the allocation plan, regardless of whether programs were progressing well or underperforming, just to get the funds spent as planned.

Jokowi said well performing and running programs should receive more money, while idle or underperforming ones should have their funds halted or even scaled back.

"State funds should follow programs. It is programs that we focus on. Otherwise there will be no visible results. The benefits will not be felt by the people," Jokowi added.

In the plenary Cabinet meeting, Jokowi also discussed the negative investment list (DNI) and the accelerated integration of the National Mid-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) 2015-2019 with spatial planning (RTRW). (Ayomi Amindoni)

Editor: Barratut Taqiyyah Rafie