Indonesia's Deputy Minister: Papua Fund Success Measured by Welfare Impact, Not Budget Use

Indonesia's Deputy Home Affairs Minister Ribka Haluk has emphasized that the true measure of success for Papua's Special Autonomy Fund (Otsus) lies not in high budget absorption rates, but in its tangible impact on the welfare of the Papuan people. Speaking at a meeting on accelerating the disbursement of the second phase of the 2026 Otsus Fund for the Papua region, Haluk stated that the government is reinforcing fund governance through cross-ministry and agency synergy, developing interoperable systems, and enhancing accountable oversight. These efforts aim to speed up the disbursement of the second phase of the Otsus Fund and ensure its effective and targeted utilization. The ministry's initiatives have received full support from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), which is providing assistance and joint oversight. This collaboration is expected to bolster transparency and prevent mismanagement of the Otsus Fund. "The management of the Special Autonomy Fund is a crucial instrument. Therefore, we, along with the KPK, are directly involved in Papua, urging all stakeholders to build a shared commitment for better and more accountable governance," Ribka said. Haluk highlighted that the collaboration between the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas, regional governments, and the KPK has resulted in an interoperable system that strengthens oversight of the Otsus Fund. This system has shown positive results, with improved fund absorption compared to previous years. However, she reiterated that success must be measured by the actual benefits received by the Papuan community. The Deputy Minister also pointed to the significant remaining budget balances (SiLPA) in several regions, which could be misused. She urged regional governments to maintain discipline between budget planning and execution, applying the "5T" principles: timely, targeted, correct amount, correct recipient, and correct usage. This, she explained, is vital to ensure every rupiah of the Otsus Fund provides optimal benefits to the community. "It's not just the system that needs to be integrated, but our thinking must also be integrated. We are undergoing a transformation to make the governance of the Special Autonomy Fund more transparent, accountable, and directly impactful for the people of Papua," she asserted. Moving forward, the Ministry of Home Affairs will continue to assist regional governments in strengthening the capacity of their Otsus Fund management apparatus, optimizing the use of population data to ensure accurate beneficiary targeting, and refining the interoperability system as a tool for control and evaluation.

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The management of the Special Autonomy Fund is a crucial instrument. Therefore, we, along with the KPK, are directly involved in Papua, urging all stakeholders to build a shared commitment for better and more accountable governance.