Dream - The Ministry of Finance (Kemenkeu) responds to the statement of Presidential Candidate Number 02, Prabowo Subianto, who mentioned that the budget of the Ministry of Defense (Kemenhan) was largely not approved by the Ministry of Finance when Indonesia was hit by Covid-19. Special Staff to the Minister of Finance, Yustinus Prastowo, explained that the reduction in the budget of Ministries or Institutions (KL) was due to the fact that the state budget at that time was largely used for Covid-19 handling, including through budget refocusing policies.

"Through the decision of the Cabinet Meeting and followed up with various coordination, budget refocusing carried out during the COVID pandemic applies to all Ministries and Institutions (K/L) through the rearrangement of spending priorities by K/L, in order to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic," wrote Yustinus Prastowo in an official statement, quoted on Tuesday, January 9, 2024."

"KL itself understands the most urgent and prioritized activities and programs that can be postponed due to the pandemic," said Prastowo. He emphasized that the budget implementation by ministries or institutions is carried out in accordance with applicable regulations, then audited by the Financial Audit Agency (BPK) and accountable to the DPR."

"I have indeed been the Minister of Defense for four years, but we have been disrupted by Covid-19 for 2 years, during which there was a refocusing. So many of our proposals were not approved by the Minister of Finance," said Prabowo at Istora Senayan, Jakarta, on Sunday, January 7, 2024. "So as a minister, a team player, I have to be loyal, I don't speak much in public," expressed Prabowo.