Attorney General Rachman under fire for lavish party<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Attorney General M.A. Rachman, who is responsible for dealing
\nmainly with the country's widespread corruption, has come under
\nfire for hosting a lavish wedding reception for his daughter last
\nweek, which some legislators have said was extravagant.<\/p>\n
House of Representatives members Susono Yusuf, of the National
\nAwakening Party, and Sutradara Gintings, of the Justice Unity
\nParty, alleged on Sunday that Rachman had breached government
\ndirectives ordering state officials to exercise restraint in
\ntheir lifestyles.<\/p>\n
Both Susono and Sutradara urged President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri and State Minister for Administrative Reforms
\nFeisal Tamin to question Rachman to find out whether the wedding
\nreception was an offense and to publicize the result.<\/p>\n
\"The directive for Cabinet ministers and state officials to
\nlead more modest lifestyles is apparently not working, so the
\nPresident and the state minister should be more proactive in
\nsupervising officials,\" Sutradara said, as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
Susono, who is a member of House Commission II overseeing
\nlegal issues, emphasized that Rachman should have been more
\nsensitive to the feelings of the public, which is, in the main,
\nstill suffering the impact of the economic crisis.<\/p>\n
The wedding reception of Rachman's eldest daughter was held on
\nJune 8 at Balai Sudirman in South Jakarta. At least 5,000 people
\nwere invited to the party, which is reported to have cost Rp 500
\nmillion, Antara said.<\/p>\n
Among those attending, the report said, were lawyers and
\nbankers suspected of involvement in government loan abuse, and
\nwhose cases are currently being investigated by Rachman's office.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, Megawati's administration launched a thrift
\ncampaign, asking officials to wear modest attire instead of
\nsuits. The austerity program also targeted greater efficiency in
\nthe use of paper and of telephones in offices.<\/p>\n
Feisal Tamin's circular, issued on Dec. 24, 2001, clearly set
\nlimitations on officials' activities and lifestyles.<\/p>\n
It stated that officials were not allowed to stage official
\nevents or host private parties at venues the public would regard
\nas ostentatious.<\/p>\n
The directive followed up Presidential Decree No. 10\/1974 on
\nstate officials' lifestyle, in which Article 11 stipulates that
\nany private party, such as a wedding or birthday party, cannot be
\nheld twice, and is limited to 250 guests only.<\/p>\n
Attorney General's Office spokesman Barman Zahir, who chaired
\nthe wedding reception committee, said that the party cost far
\nless than the reported Rp 500 million and that none of the errant
\nbankers was invited to or attended either the reception or
\nRachman's home.<\/p>\n
\"I cannot comment any further because it's Pak Rachman's
\npersonal affair. But nothing was extravagant about the party. It
\nwas a simple Acehnese wedding reception. Many other state
\nofficials have hosted far more luxurious parties for members of
\ntheir family,\" Barman told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Barman said that Rachman invited all members of House
\nCommission II, who are his working partners, as well as several
\nlawyers who are long-time friends.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/attorney-general-rachman-under-fire-for-lavish-party-1447893297",
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