Cash crunch cuts into MPR perks<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Billions of rupiah are being shelled out for the
\nSpecial Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), even
\nas Jakartans struggle to cope with the economic crisis and steel
\nthemselves for possible unrest.<\/p>\n
Are there are perks and freebies left for the nation's chosen
\nfew in these straitened times?<\/p>\n
\"Oh yes, there is a free massage service,\" said Afif Ma'roef,
\nsecretary-general of the Assembly (MPR)\/House of Representatives
\n(DPR).<\/p>\n
\"Use a steamroller!\"<\/p>\n
The retired two-star Army general laughed and added that any
\nextras to the daily business of the session came at a price.<\/p>\n
\"Of course, they (MPR members) have to pay.\"<\/p>\n
Afif spoke to journalists in his office on Thursday about
\npreparations by his 1,400-strong workforce for the four-day MPR
\nsession, which kicks off on Tuesday and ends Friday.<\/p>\n
Assembly members began to check into the designated hotels --
\nJakarta Hilton International and Mulia Senayan, both holding
\nfive-star ratings -- over the weekend.<\/p>\n
Hilton public relations manager Dewi Widyanti said on Friday
\nthat 400 rooms in the main building and the Lagoon and Garden
\ntowers were allocated for the four factions excluding Golkar.<\/p>\n
The hotel has 1,104 rooms.<\/p>\n
Mulia public relations manager Daddo Parus said 606 rooms,
\nincluding four suites were booked for the Golkar delegation,
\napart from rooms for organizers.<\/p>\n
\"We have 1,008 rooms and all are taken from Nov. 7 to Nov.
\n15.\"<\/p>\n
It is unclear who will get to bed down in the suites, which
\nare usually US$280, plus 21 percent tax and service charge, per
\nnight. Daddo said \"all services\" in the suites were included in
\nthe room charge.<\/p>\n
For most legislators, the government's cash crunch means few
\nperks are expected.<\/p>\n
Afif said there would be no new suits because those provided
\nfor the legislators for the March 1998 MPR General Assembly were
\nstill in peak condition.<\/p>\n
The excitement may come in the session itself because some
\nlegislators are more courageous in speaking up since Soeharto was
\nforced to resign from the presidency in May on a wave of public
\ndiscontent.<\/p>\n
Session fireworks, if they ignite, will be a marked departure
\nfrom past humdrum sessions, in which many legislators were often
\nobserved dozing off.<\/p>\n
Afif said each legislator would receive the same daily
\nallowance set for last March's MPR session of a Rp 60,000 (now
\nUS$7.5) daily allowance plus a lump-sum honorarium of Rp 600,000.<\/p>\n
The budget for the much shorter session this time is Rp 13.5
\nbillion, compared to Rp 44.7 billion for the 11-day March
\nsession.<\/p>\n
Afif professed to forgetting the expenditure details from
\nMarch. However, more than Rp 16 billion was earmarked for
\naccommodations of members at four luxury hotels last time around.<\/p>\n
The hotel public relations managers declined to mention the
\nrate for the legislative camps.<\/p>\n
\"It's our clients' confidentiality,\" Dewi said.<\/p>\n
\"If I tell you, I am afraid it could affect the rate of our
\nrooms in the future,\" Daddo vouched.<\/p>\n
The standard rate at Mulia is Rp 650,000 per night, while the
\nHilton's is Rp 500,000. Both rates are exclusive of the 21
\npercent tax and service charge.<\/p>\n
Afif promised: \"Once the budget's been used, we'll be
\ntransparent (in reporting it).\"<\/p>\n
He said an outstanding amount of Rp 2 billion from the budget
\nfor last March was returned to the state coffers.<\/p>\n
The upcoming session will have fewer promotional stalls in the
\nAssembly lobby.<\/p>\n
\"But we'll try to get some jamu (traditional herbal tonic)
\nstalls,\" Afif said, referring to some of the most popular stalls
\nfrom March.<\/p>\n
Afif admitted that several small-scale traders feeling out
\nbusiness opportunities ultimately came away discouraged.<\/p>\n
\"We just told them that we would not cover their losses if
\nsomething bad happened,\" Afif said.<\/p>\n
Then again, if verbal pyrotechnics do occur in the session, a
\nkilling could be made in soothing massage and herbal tonics for
\nharried legislators. (edt\/01\/aan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/cash-crunch-cuts-into-mpr-perks-1447893297",
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