Councill's house moves demolished by critics<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Activists slammed city councillors on Wednesday for requesting a
\nmonthly housing allowance of Rp 12.5 million each, saying they
\nhad broken their own election vows to live modestly.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency
\n(Fitra) Arif Nur Alam said on Wednesday the councillors' housing
\nallowance should not be made a top priority.<\/p>\n
For example, he said, the money could be better spent on the
\ndevelopment of the East Flood Canal to prevent seasonal floods in
\nthe capital, which damage thousands of residents' homes.<\/p>\n
He said that most of the councillors had their own houses and
\ndid not need the allowance.<\/p>\n
\"It is part of city councillors' efforts to take as much money
\nfrom the budget as possible, since many of them have a house in
\nJakarta,\" Arif told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Councillor Ade Surapriatna of the Golkar Party said on Monday
\nthat the City Council had requested a monthly housing allowance
\nof Rp 12.5 million (US$1,390) for each of its 71 councillors.
\nThat amount is more than double their basic salary of Rp 6
\nmillion per month.<\/p>\n
Ade said councillors needed a housing allowance as the city
\nadministration had not been able to provide them with official
\nresidences.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Governor Sutiyoso gave a vague answer on Wednesday
\nwhen asked whether or not he would grant the councillors'
\nrequest.<\/p>\n
He said he had not issued a gubernatorial decree on the matter
\nas it was not a pressing issue.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso stressed that government regulation No. 24\/2004 on
\nprotocol and financial matters for regional council leaders and
\nmembers only rules on rental fees for councillors, not a housing
\nallowance per se.<\/p>\n
\"If I approve the proposal, we (councillors and himself) could
\nface prison terms. There have been many examples in other
\nregions. We must avoid such a possibility,\" he said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Sharing Arif's views, chairman of the Jakarta Residents Forum
\n(Fakta) Azas Tigor Nainggolan said that the councillors had no
\nright to ask for a housing allowance.<\/p>\n
According to Tigor, Government Regulation No. 24\/2004
\nstipulates that a housing allowance should only be provided for
\ncouncillors in other provinces, whose houses are far from the
\nprovincial capital.<\/p>\n
\"Jakarta councillors can go home every day. Therefore, such a
\nfacility is not necessary. It is just squandering taxpayers'
\nmoney,\" Tigor told the Post.<\/p>\n
Tigor said the councillors' request had been made only after
\nthey were denied official cars, following widespread public
\nopposition.<\/p>\n
\"Although they were refused official cars, (with the
\nallowance) they will be happy now, as they can buy luxury cars in
\ninstallments,\" he added.<\/p>",
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