Special Allocation Fund during Pandemic Must be Managed in Accountable Manner: VP

INDUSTRY.co.id - The use of Special Allocation Fund (DAK) during the COVID-19 pandemic must take into account the accountability principle, Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has said.

“In a bid to anticipate issues with the use of Special Allocation Fund during the COVID-19 pandemic, we must obey provisions of laws and regulations. The use of the Fund must also take into account the accountability principle,” the Vice President said during a virtual meeting of the Regional Autonomy Advisory Council (DPOD), Tuesday (11/05).

The Vice President, who also helms the DPOD, said that it takes good synergy between the Ministries and Agency overseeing the Special Allocation Fund to ensure the Fund is well-targeted, namely Ministry of Finance, the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), and Ministry of Home Affairs.

He went on to say that the aforementioned Ministries and Agency must be able to devise strategic measures to be taken in the future, especially during the pandemic period.

The Vice President also maintained the importance of information technology in monitoring and evaluation measures. The information technology, he added, can simplify the synchronization of data owned by the Ministries and Agency overseeing Special Allocation Fund and reduce data discrepancies.

In the meantime, Minister of Home Affairs Muhammad Tito Karnavian, as Secretary of the DPOD, said that the next year’s Special Allocation Fund will focus on restoring the national economy.

Tito also reaffirmed the importance of accuracy and data management for services in the regions to ensure the proper distribution of Special Allocation Fund.

To that end, strengthening the monitoring and evaluation system is of particular importance, he added.

The Minister also explained several recommendations for the next year’s Special Allocation Fund, including the Central Government’s involvement in determining regions entitled to receive the Special Allocation Fund, synchronization between the Special Allocation Fund and the Development Planning Forum (Musrenbang), as well as strengthening the coordination of the Ministries and Agency overseeing the Special Allocation Fund.

“Outputs and outcomes of the Special Allocation Fund must be achieved and coordination measures should involve associations of regional governments to avoid miscommunication,” Tito remarked.