Holding a Seminar on Fiscal Justice, the Regent of East Flores Calls the Fiscal Balance Affirmation Fund a National Disadvantage Fund

Holding a Seminar on Fiscal Justice, the Regent of East Flores Calls the Fiscal Balance Affirmation Fund a National Disadvantage Fund

REINHA.com – The implementation of the National Fiscal Policy is a complaint for most Regional Governments (Pemda) in Indonesia. This policy is also a serious concern for Regional Heads (Regents) throughout East Nusa Tenggara Province.

National Fiscal Policy in terms of central transfer funds and development budgets is a hope for regional governments to be able to encourage economic growth, maintain economic stability and help improve community welfare.

This was highlighted at the seminar entitled National Fiscal Policy (Thursday, 6/11/2025). This one-day seminar was held in Larantuka, East Flores Regency. The seminar was attended by Regents and Deputy Regents throughout NTT to discuss various issues related to the impact of National Fiscal policy.

East Flores Regent Antonius Doni Dihen, in his speech criticized the implementation of central policy on the General Allocation Fund.

In front of other regional heads, the Regent of East Flores emphasized that the presence of regional leaders in East Flores was not to lament the situation of turmoil but was present to be subjects who were aware of the rights of citizens and regional governments within the unity of the Republic of Indonesia.

“Our presence here is to pay special attention to the General Allocation Fund (DAU) and our criticism of its formulation and the definition of DAU which has shifted from Law number 25 of 1995 to Law number 23 of 2004 to Law number 1 of 2022 so that concrete proposals can be made to the Central Government,” said Doni Dihen.

Doni Dihen also said that based on an analysis of 50 regions in Indonesia with 28 districts/cities with strong and very strong fiscal capacity and 22 districts/cities in NTT, it was found that regions in NTT had low fiscal capacity. There are regions with strong and very strong fiscal capacity that receive DAU that is relatively the same or even much larger than that received in NTT.

“NTT is experiencing very serious fiscal difficulties. In East Flores, the fiscal space for the Regent from the remaining DAU and DAK management is only up to 5 billion to spend on all OPD,” said Doni Dihen.

Doni Dihen protested the central government’s imposition on regions with high and very high fiscal capacity by proposing a new DAU formulation created in the NTT memorandum for fiscal justice.

Doni Dihen also proposed a fiscal balance affirmation fund which he later described as a National Inadequacy Affirmation Fund or an affirmation fund for central fraud over NTT which has been going on for a long time.

“Just 100 billion will pay for Jakarta’s sins, pay for the sins of districts/cities with high fiscal levels and indifference to NTT,” concluded Regent Anton Doni Dihen.

The National Fiscal Justice seminar activity was attended by the Regent and deputy Regent or representatives of regional heads throughout NTT and the Head of the Indonesian Ombudsman representing NTT. ***(BM)