BPK to Watch High Budget Absorption ahead of Year-End
15 December 2014 19:34 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) chairman Harri Azhar Azis said the state budget absorption that always spiked at the end of the year should be closely watched.
“There are numerous projects with huge budgets absorbed in a short time. We are concerned about the quality of those projects,” Harry said at his office on Monday, December 15, 2014.
Therefore, he added, the BPK will thoroughly audit the year-end financial statement. “We will check the efficiency [of the projects], whether they are beneficial for the people,” Harry said.
According to Harry, the state budget absorption in the first quarter was only six percent, and later increased to 16 percent in the second quarter. In the third quarter, the budget absorption rocketed to 40-50 percent and the rest of the state budget was absorbed in the fourth quarter.
Harry explained that routine expenses, such as for staff and goods, relatively occured between the quarters. However, the capital expenditure fluctuated throughout the year.“So the question is: what’s the problem with the capital expenditure?” Harri asked.
Harry admitted to having reported the situation to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Vice President Jusuf “JK” Kalla. One issue noted by Jokowi and JK was a regulation regarding auctions of goods.
“So far it takes a long time [to conduct the auctions],” Harri said.
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