Human Rights Minister Ensures Staff Salaries Unaffected by Budget Cuts
The Ministry of Human Rights's budget has been cut by Rp60 billion. Human Rights Minister assures there will be no reduction in staff salaries.
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Human Rights has been affected by the government's budget cut, slashing Rp60 billion from its total allotted funds of Rp174 billion. Nevertheless, Natalius Pigai ensures that there will be no reduction in the salaries of its employees.
The details of the budget were presented by Pigai and approved in a working meeting with the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission XIII and working partners on Thursday, February 13, 2025.
"The budget is Rp174 billion, with a total efficiency of Rp60 billion. After the budget cut, the remaining amount in the office is Rp113 billion," said Pigai in the meeting held at the parliament building, Central Jakarta.
More precisely, the initial ceiling of the Ministry of Human Rights was Rp174.32 billion; then it was reduced by Rp60.47 billion, resulting in the current amount of Rp113.8 billion.
Pigai mentioned that his ministry did not implement efficiency in the Human Rights Data and Information Center and the Human Resources Development Center, as both units are new and have not yet received budget allocations.
Despite the budget reduction, Pigai ensures that no employee salaries will be cut. "I don't need to explain where the efficiency is, but one thing is for sure, we won't reduce any salaries," he said.
Addressing the meeting attendees, Pigai admitted that he is not affected and is ready to face budget cuts in his ministry. He said that it is unlikely for President Prabowo to lead his own country astray.
"It is impossible for a patriotic statesman, a noble president, to lead his nation astray. Therefore, I declare myself ready and unaffected," said Pigai.
The budget reduction across various ministries and institutions was carried out based on the order of President Prabowo Subianto earlier this year. Prabowo issued Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 1 of 2025 on Spending Efficiencies in the Implementation of the 2025 Fiscal Year State Budget and Regional Budget. The Inpres was issued on January 22, 2025.
As a follow-up to the Inpres, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani released Minister of Finance Letter Number S-37/MK.02/2025 dated January 24, 2025 regarding Efficiency of Expenditures of Ministries/Institutions in the Implementation of the State Budget for 2025. The letter was sent to each ministry/institution instructed to trim their budgets.
In Prabowo's intruction, it is stated that the instructions apply to the ministers of the Red and White Cabinet, the Commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), the Chief of the Indonesian National Police, the Attorney General, the heads of non-ministerial government institutions, the leaders of state secretariats, governors, as well as regents/mayors.
Prabowo requested an efficiency in this year's spending budget of Rp306.695 trillion, which includes the spending budget of ministries/institutions and transfers to regions. He instructed each minister and institution head to identify spending efficiency plans in accordance with the set amount by the Minister of Finance.
Alfitria Nefi P contributed to the writing of this article.
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