Jakarta, April 8 -- Indonesia's Ministry of Religious Affairs will cut official travel by 65 percent to sustain priority public services, Minister Nasaruddin Umar said.

Speaking in Jakarta on Wednesday, Umar urged officials to adopt an "out-of-the-box" approach in planning amid budget constraints.

"Our reference should be the challenges ahead, not just the budget we have. If funds are limited, we must find alternatives," he said.

The measure is part of efforts to improve efficiency by reducing non-priority spending.

Umar called on all ministry officials to transform their planning mindset, stressing that limited budgets should not hinder solutions to religious issues.

He said priority programs must continue to reach grassroots commun...