He pointed out that if he aims to establish 10 human rights study centers and promote awareness across all 80,000 villages in Indonesia, adequate funding is crucial. “How can I build these initiatives without sufficient resources?” he questioned.

The proposed budget for the Human Rights Ministry in 2024 is IDR 64.855 billion, which Pigai believes is insufficient to realize President Prabowo Subianto’s vision for the ministry. He called for a reevaluation of this budget.

It is important to note that the Human Rights Ministry is a development of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham), which also includes the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections.

At the welcome event, the Secretary-General of Kemenkumham, Nico Afinta, clarified that the 2024 budget allocation for the Human Rights Ministry is IDR 64.855 billion, constituting just 0.31 percent of Kemenkumham’s total budget.

This funding is designated for programs focused on human rights protection, public education on human rights, and international cooperation to enhance Indonesia’s position in global human rights discourse.

The budget for the Ministry of Justice is set at IDR 7.294 trillion, accounting for 35.14 percent of Kemenkumham’s overall budget, while the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections receives IDR 13.397 trillion, or 64.64 percent. (Uki Ruknuddin)