Jakarta. The Indonesian government has just adopted a new rule that forces its employees, including ministers, to go on fewer foreign trips in a bid to save state money.

The rules -- inked by State Secretariat Minister Prasetyo Hadi -- are directed to President Prabowo Subianto’s ministers and regional heads. The new policy also came a few weeks after Prabowo told his ministers to halve their international trips over the next five years. This way, Indonesia would be able to save $1.5 billion in state spending. Prabowo said at the time that Indonesia spent up to $3 billion each year to send its officials abroad.

According to state news agency Antara, the freshly announced regulation only allows government officials to make business trips abroad for “highly urgent” matters. The trips are also only approved if they are directly related to the national priority programs. Only 5 individuals can take part in investment missions. They may add more people, but it has to be proportionate. The same limit applies for bilateral or multilateral hearings, although two more individuals may join the trip if it involves cross-organization working groups.

“The new policy states that any government official who travels abroad for work purposes must request approval seven days before their departure. They also have to attach documents such as the work reference framework, confirmation of attendance from the foreign organization, and details on the financing,” Antara reported Thursday.

The traveling official has to submit a report after their trip no later than two weeks after returning. Anyone who goes abroad for business trips without Prabowo’s approval will be subject to administrative consequences and other sanctions.

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