Commission B Demands Action on Food Subsidies and Public Demands in 2026 Budget

Jakarta Legislative Council Commission B Chairman, Nova Harivan Paloh has demanded seamless execution for key programs in the 2026 Revised Budget (APBD-P).

This covers the final four-month stretch from September to December

He urged the city to maximize funding for food subsidies, public transit service obligations (PSO), and direct public requests gathered during legislative recess.

He stressed that the food subsidy allocation, initially set at around Rp 370 billion, must be fully secured to cover public needs through the end of the year. The funding strategy has been coordinated with local regional-owned food enterprises (BUMDs).

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"This covers the final four-month stretch from September to December. I inquired about the cash flow, and they confirmed local BUMDs will temporarily front the costs to ensure uninterrupted supply,” he expressed, during the APBD-P 2026 meeting, Friday (9/10).

Alongside food security, Nova urged city officials to keep a firm grip on public transit PSO funding, describing it as vital to keeping Jakarta moving.

Still, he stressed that actual spending requires strict scrutiny to ensure every rupiah delivers results rather than sitting unspent.

“PSO powers our whole transport network. But looking at high-level figures isn't enough; we have to dive deep into the details,” he explained.

Nova also called out the backlog of unfulfilled public requests gathered during legislative recess periods. He urged officials to meticulously log every community grievance, assign dedicated support, and establish clear delivery timelines.

Recess feedback, he argued, must never be treated as a mere paper exercise with zero accountability. He revealed that several public proposals submitted months—or even years—ago remain completely unaddressed.

“We can't allow public feedback from months ago, or even from previous budget cycles, to just sit there untouched,” he demanded.

Further, he pushed for a streamlined tracking and oversight framework to keep tabs on public input. With clear data, lawmakers and city officials can immediately spot which requests are fulfilled, being processed, or left ignored.

“It must be crystal clear which requests belong to our recess period and when they will be delivered. There has to be proper oversight from start to finish,” he stated.