JAKARTA ~ The national parliament approved changes this week to the state budget for 2007 to allow a deficit 43.9 percent wider than earlier planned due to an expected decline in government revenues.

Lawmakers approved a deficit of Rp58.29 trillion or 1.5 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), up from the 1.1 percent originally slated for 2007.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati told the house that the wider deficit was due to an expected fall in tax and non-tax revenue, with total revenue now projected at Rp694.09 trillion, 4.2 percent lower than earlier.