Jakarta. All seven senior ministers under President Prabowo Subianto have asked for a much bigger budget for next year, totaling around Rp 5.18 trillion ($363 million) in additional spending.

These ministers met with the budget committee of Indonesia’s lawmakers at the parliamentary complex on Monday. The session mainly centered on how much would their ministries get to spend next year. 

Chief Political Affairs Minister Budi Gunawan made the biggest request that day, reaching Rp 3 trillion. If approved, this would mark a huge increase from the originally intended Rp 268.3 billion. Chief Social Empowerment Minister Muhaimin Iskandar asked the lawmakers to raise his ministry’s budget from Rp 139.7 billion to Rp 739.5 billion. 

Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan requested an additional budget of Rp 505.9 billion, about 11-fold compared to the originally allocated Rp 44 billion. Cultural Affairs Senior Minister Pratikno asked for an extra Rp 360 billion, while Legal Affairs Czar Yusril Ihza Mahendra wants the lawmakers to raise the total spending by Rp 325 billion. Chief Infrastructure Minister Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono wants his ministry’s annual budget capped to be Rp 503 billion, a significant increase from the originally intended Rp 230 billion. Chief Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto made the most modest request that day, only asking for an extra Rp 64.2 billion.

The budget committee’s chief Said Abdullah said that the lawmakers would discuss their requests over the next three months.

“Because the Finance Ministry and the National Development Planning Agency [Bappenas] are still drafting the presidential decree [on the budget], which we hope will be completed as soon as possible,” Said told the ministers.

Said admitted that the senior ministers had to carry a huge responsibility to synchronize the policies, particularly to meet Prabowo’s short-term targets, including the free school meal program and health checkups.