THE decision by the government to use state budget funds to cover the costs of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train project is highly risky. As well as breaching the initial commitment by President Joko Widodo, if it is not managed carefully, the use of these funds could result in losses for the state.

When it was officially launched by President Jokowi in January 2016, the project to build a fast railroad from Jakarta to Bandung was e