Jakarta. The Public Works Ministry announced on Wednesday the cancellation of maintenance funding for 47,000 kilometers of roads in response to a presidential directive on budget efficiency.

The ministry must cut Rp 81.38 trillion ($5 billion) from its 2025 budget as part of President Prabowo Subianto’s broader plan to save Rp 306 trillion ($18.7 billion) from the state budget to fund his priority programs.

Among the reductions, Rp 24.83 trillion ($1.5 billion) originally allocated for road construction and maintenance has been scrapped.

During a hearing with lawmakers in Jakarta, Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo said the budget cuts would impact 24,600 construction workers.

"There will be no new projects for suspension bridges or the preservation of existing bridges for the time being," Dody said.

The massive budget reductions will also affect ongoing infrastructure projects, many of which have been underway for months or years.

However, Dody clarified that multi-year projects are not being canceled but rather suspended.

For 2025, the Public Works Ministry will operate on a significantly reduced budget of Rp 29.57 trillion ($1.8 billion).

To accommodate the budget cuts, Dody said the ministry would eliminate non-essential expenses, including official trips, seminars, public relations programs, and the purchase of new equipment.