JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – A two-hours meeting took place on Wednesday (August 27) in Nusa Dua, Bali, between the outgoing President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and President-elect Joko “Jokowi” Widodo at which both sides agreed on a smooth transition of power ahead of October 20, 2014, the date Jokowi will take office. But the two leaders make no deal to raise prices for subsidized fuel.
In a press briefing after the meeting, SBY said he and Jokowi will have a series of meeting in near future. SBY also revealed Jokowi’s Transition Team could communicate with the ranks of ministers to discuss the details and the technicalities of issues related to the 2015 state budget (RAPBN 2015) and the 2014 revised state budget (APBN-P 2014).
Jokowi claimed the meeting as new tradition in the country’s political dynamic and welcomed SBY’s response over Jokowi’s willingness to address the issues related to the RAPBN 2015 and the APBN-P 2014.
In a related progress, the House of Representatives (DPR) Budget Body and the central government represented by Minister of Finance Chatib Basri and Governor of Bank Indonesia Agus Martowardojo have agreed to postpone the discussion on the RAPBN 2015 while SBY and Jokowi are making their directions on the budget.
Previously, Jokowi asked SBY’s administration to raise subsidized fuel prices to reduce the state budget deficit and to create a better fiscal posture, then Jokowi’s next administration will have enough room to implement its priority programs and policies.
Jokowi demands the RAPBN 2015 could support his priority programs and policies such as infrastructure development, the expansion coverage of health insurance for the poor, the improvement of community health centers (puskesmas), the 12-years compulsory education (wajib belajar) program, and the bigger funds allocation for the villages. (haryantos@yosefardi.biz)