TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said millennial generation has the opportunity to help the government by establishing a startup company. Moreover, the government needs a tool, either an information system or an application, that enhances its performance accountability.

"How do we know when we distribute hundreds of trillions of operational costs will really help the people. I wonder with digital technology. You have ideas. For state finance affairs, public accountability is truly necessary," Sri said at Istora Senayan, South Jakarta, Sunday, August 18.

She conveyed the statement when attending a national movement "Ignite The Nation. 1000 Startup Digital Indonesia" as one of the mentors. The event was held as the government’s effort in encouraging the growth of the startup industry, which is currently thriving among young people.

She said that one of the opportunities could be seen from the budget posture as listed in the state budget or APBN. She added that education, village funds, ultra micro-credit distribution to research funds are among potential sectors.

The former IMF managing director continued that in 2020, the government will disburse village funds of Rp72 trillion to 75,000 villages. So each village will likely receive funding of between Rp1 billion to Rp5 billion.

"So how do I know that the budget is not used to build the same drain? How do I know that the funds are used to finance village enterprises or BUMDES that employ mothers? There are so many ideas," she said.

Besides, a startup can help the distribution of ultra microcredit to 1.5 million micro, small, medium enterprises or MSMEs by applying a similar method of e-commerce Bukalapak and Tokopedia that connected five to six million merchants, sellers to stall owners.

Therefore, Sri Mulyani hoped that a startup company can help the government in overcoming the problem. Many solution-based ideas can be developed, either through developing applications to information systems.

DIAS PRASONGKO