Sri Mulyani Testifies Jokowi' Social Aid Comes from President's Operational Funds

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said that the budget for President Joko Widodo's or Jokowi's social assistance did not come from the national social protection budget (Perlinsos) but from the president's operational funds.

The statement was delivered during the hearing of the presidential election dispute case at the Constitutional Court in Jakarta, on Friday, April 5, when Judge Saldi Isra questioned the origin of the funds for the presidential visit and social assistance programs during the election campaign period.

Sri and three other ministers, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy, and Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini were summoned by the Constitutional Court today.

President Jokowi actively distributed social assistance before the February 14 presidential election, raising allegations that it was politicized to sway voters toward Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who is his eldest child. On March 20, the General Elections Commission (KPU) declared Prabowo-Gibran the winner over two other candidate pairs, Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar and Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud Md.

Minister Sri explained that the president's operational funds are regulated by the Finance Minister’s Regulation No. 48 of 2008 as amended by the Finance Minister’s Regulation No. 106 of 2008. Meanwhile, the president's community funds are regulated in the State Secretary Minister’s Regulation No. 2 of 2020.

Based on these regulations, the president and vice president can use the community funds to hold religious, educational, social, economic, cultural, youth, women empowerment, sports, and other activities for the people. “This assistance can be given in the form of goods or money,” Sri added.

She outlined that the president's operational fund in 2023 was Rp156.5 billion with a realization of Rp127.8 billion or 82 percent. “In 2024, the budget allocation for the president's operational fund and community assistance fund is Rp138.3 billion. The realization up to March and April was Rp18.7 billion or 14 percent,” Sri Mulyani outlined.

ANTARA

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