The bold move by Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, reallocating Rp200 trillion to stimulate the real sector with hopes of boosting economic growth, has caused a stir and drawn wide public attention.
What is equally intriguing is how the government ended up with such a massive amount of money parked in the vaults of Bank Indonesia (BI), which became the “raw material” for Minister Purbaya’s maneuver.
Awalil Rizky, an economist from the Bright Institute, offered an important note. The funds stored at BI, known as Excess Budget Balance (SAL), originate from surplus budget calculations, commonly referred to as SiLPA.
The amount of SiLPA is only determined at the end of the fiscal year when the government closes its books. If there is a budget surplus, it is recorded as SiLPA. “Indonesia has also experienced a budget deficit in its year-end calculation, known as SiKPA, back in 2005 and 2007,” Awalil explained in Jakarta, Thursday (September 18, 2025).
