Councillors get money for canceled trip<\/p>\n
SURABAYA: Ten councillors from Commission E of the East Java
\nlegislative council have accepted money for trips that were
\ncanceled, according to commission chairman Harbiyah Shalahuddin.<\/p>\n
Harbiyah said on Saturday the money was for preparing
\nadministrative documents such as visas and passports. She,
\nhowever, declined to name the councillors.<\/p>\n
Previously, 19 councillors were scheduled to tour the member
\ncountries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
\nand several European countries this month, at a cost of Rp 20
\nmillion (US$2,200) per person.<\/p>\n
But the trip was canceled after Minister of Home Affairs Hari
\nSabarno banned overseas trips involving more than 10 councillors.<\/p>\n
Separately, councillor Luthfillah Masduki said the
\ncouncillors' decision to take the money was unethical and
\nreflected the true face of the legislature. She demanded the 10
\ncouncillors return the money.<\/p>\n
Luthfillah said she suspected there was a conspiracy involving
\nthe commission chairman, the council's secretary and the council
\nspeaker, because the disbursement of the funds required all of
\ntheir approval.<\/p>\n
Council Speaker Bisjri Abdul Djalil denied he had approved the
\ndisbursement of the funds, saying he knew nothing about the
\nmatter. --JP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/councillors-get-money-for-canceled-trip-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}