House wants more say over state spending<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Speaker of the House of Representatives Wahono
\nsaid yesterday that the legislative agency should be given a
\ngreater say and control over government spending, because this is
\nmandated by the constitution.<\/p>\n
Opening the House's plenary session for President Soeharto's
\nannual budget speech, Wahono called for better ways for the
\ngovernment and the House to jointly discuss and deliberate over
\nthe government's budgetary affairs.<\/p>\n
The House hopes that the mechanisms of deliberations over the
\ngovernment's budget bill, the amendment bill to the government
\nbudget, as well as the semester budget reports \"will be improved
\nand intensified from time to time,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He underlined that the House, under Article 23 of the 1945
\nConstitution, has the power to control government spending.<\/p>\n
Soeharto yesterday presented to the House the government's
\nspending plans for the 1995\/96 fiscal year, calling for an 11
\npercent increase in expenditures over the current year to Rp 78
\ntrillion ($37 billion). These will be covered largely by tax
\nrevenues and the government's oil and gas tax receipts and
\nsupplemented by some foreign aid.<\/p>\n
The budget plan must still be deliberated by the House,
\ntraditionally a mere formality. In recent years, however, the
\ngovernment's budget bill has been subjected to greater scrutiny
\nby the House, although eventually they were still passed almost
\nunchanged except for some of the wording.<\/p>\n
Wahono acknowledged that the House has been extensively
\ninvolved in the preliminary hearings with the government in the
\npreparations for the 1995-96 budget plans. He placed high hopes
\nthat these hearings were not mere formalities and that the
\ngovernment paid attention to the deliberations and the demands of
\nHouse members in drafting the budget.<\/p>\n
Wahono urged the government to continue pursuing the principle
\nof a balanced budget. \"By adhering to this principle, all state
\nexpenditures should be thoroughly considered, taking into account
\nthe government's ability to raise revenues.\"<\/p>\n
He also maintained the need for the government to always keep
\ninflation in check through prudent monetary.<\/p>\n
Noting the new tax laws which the House recently enacted were
\nexpected to bring in more revenue for the government, the House
\nSpeaker appealed to the people to pay their tax dues and for the
\ngovernment to improve its administration.<\/p>\n
\"The House also appeals to the government to use the budget
\nefficiently, since the increase in tax revenues is not expected
\nto be much. That means the budget must be executed carefully so
\nthat every rupiah obtained from the people will be used as
\nefficiently as possible.\"<\/p>\n
Wahono particularly welcome the effort by the State Audit
\nBoard to present its semester report on the government's finances
\nearlier, something which he said would help the House in
\nexercising its control and supervision of government spending.<\/p>\n
\"Hopefully, the existing good relationship between the House
\nand the State Audit Board will be strengthened in the years to
\ncome,\" he said.(emb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-wants-more-say-over-state-spending-1447893297",
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