Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called on state officials to stop feeling insecure in using state budget funds.
He said when presenting the List of Budget Allocations (DIPA) to ministers, chiefs of state institutions and provincial governors from across the country here on Tuesday that they should not be afraid to be in charge of implementing the budget so long as they were given enough guidance to prevent them from breaking laws.
"So be sure they are given guidance so that they will not hesitate to use the budget. Development efforts may not stop just because they are afraid to use the budget.
Make sure that the government programs are implemented immediately," he said.
President Yudhoyono however continued warning against corruption, collusion and nepotism with regard to budget management and improvement of administration, procedures and bureaucracy.
In view of that he said treasury officials who were appointed as project officers must be really the ones who are competent and have a quality.
President Yudhoyono also called for a follow up on every finding made by the State Audit Board and on internal supervisory officials to develop risk management in every unit in a ministry of a state institution.
"Increase internal supervision, monitoring and evaluation on the implementation of activities," he said.
President Yudhoyono said until now he still heard reports about mark-up practices in goods and services procurement in ministries or state institutions.
"I call for your attention (to this). I still heard about mark-ups in goods and services procurement. Presidential regulations and decrees have been simplified to assure speedy implementation. However if the mark-up mentality remains it will be the state that will lose," he said.
He admitted he had already mapped areas in goods and services procurement that are vulnerable to mark-ups and would conduct direct supervision to the procurement process.
source : antaranews.com
