EAST LOMBOK, WNN.CO.ID – The government of East Lombok Regency has signaled a firm commitment to strengthening regional financial governance, as its regent vowed to act on a series of audit findings flagged by state auditors.
The regent, Haerul Warisin, said his administration is prepared to follow up on all recommendations issued by the Audit Board of Indonesia, following the conclusion of an audit into the region’s financial management and accountability.
The statement came during a meeting with auditors from the agency’s West Nusa Tenggara provincial office, who had just completed their review.
Mr. Haerul Warisin was joined by the regional secretary, Juaini Taofik, along with senior officials from various local government departments.
“We are ready to address all audit findings, including improving supporting infrastructure so that departmental performance can be optimized,” Mr. Haerul Warisin said.
He acknowledged that shortcomings remain, particularly in the operational capacity of regional work units, known locally as OPD. Addressing these gaps, he added, is essential to boosting locally generated revenue, or PAD.
The audit identified 22 key issues requiring attention. Among the most pressing were suboptimal management of personnel expenditures across nine departments, discrepancies in the volume of goods and services procurement across 18 project packages in three departments, and grant management practices that did not fully comply with regulations.
Auditors also raised concerns about the accuracy of health insurance contribution data for certain beneficiary groups, as well as irregularities in the distribution of microenterprise capital assistance through banking channels. These included cases of ineligible recipients and indications of duplicate disbursements.
Mr. Haerul Warisin expressed hope that the Audit Board would continue to provide guidance to help the region improve its financial management and maintain its record of achieving an unqualified opinion, known in Indonesia as WTP—the highest audit rating.
The findings underscore the need for comprehensive reform, from planning and execution to financial reporting. Observers say swift and transparent follow-up actions by the local government will be critical to maintaining public trust and strengthening accountability in budget management.(wnn07)
