Jakarta. Newly sworn-in West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi has vowed to crack down on budget misuse in the province, citing alleged misappropriations in the education sector and wasteful spending on non-essential programs.

Speaking immediately after his inauguration on Thursday, Dedi revealed that a significant portion of the provincial budget had been allocated to programs with little to no benefit for the people of West Java, including comparative studies, non-essential trips, and seminars.

"The practice of wasting government funds for personal gain among state employees has been rampant for decades," Dedi said.

"There will be no more leisure trips disguised as comparative studies or unnecessary seminars. These activities, which have persisted for decades, offer no real impact to the people -- only benefiting government employees through trip allowances," Dedi said after the inauguration ceremony at the State Palace in Jakarta.

He also questioned a Rp 730 billion ($44.8 million) budget allocation for a school telecommunication system, while the budget for new classroom construction was set at only Rp 60 billion ($3.7 million).

"This makes no sense. They allocated funds for digital technology before even building classrooms," he said.

Redirecting Funds to Essential Public Services
Dedi pledged to scrap non-essential spending and redirect funds toward building hospitals, schools, and roads, as well as assisting low-income families in home renovations and electricity installation.

He also announced a plan to distribute 200 ambulances to remote districts across West Java.

The budget reallocation toward more impactful programs is estimated to reach Rp 5.5 trillion ($337.6 million).

"Every cent of our budget must be spent on programs that maximize public benefit. I will not tolerate any more budget waste," Dedi said.

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