`It's hard to fathom the govt's thinking'<\/p>\n
In the Rp 11 trillion 2003 draft city budget, the administration
\nallocates Rp 135 billion for City Public Order officers and only
\nRp 26 billion to help the poor. The city governor gets some Rp 90
\nmillion for his morning coffee and another Rp 100 million for his
\nhealth allowance. The Jakarta Post spoke with some city residents
\nabout this proposed budget.<\/p>\n
Fasdion, 32, is a street vendor who has been selling household
\nitems since 1987 along Jl. Bekasi Barat in East Jakarta. He lives
\nin Pisangan, East Jakarta, with his wife and daughter:<\/p>\n
The amount of money allotted for the City Public Order
\nofficers means they will have the motivation to evict more
\nstreet vendors like myself this year.<\/p>\n
The poor will really be hounded. Why are we victimized? We are
\njust working to survive as normal human beings. We are a lot
\nbetter than the crooks, thugs and high-profile corruptors. But
\nthe government sets them free and lets them operate and it
\noppresses us, and we are only creating work for ourselves.<\/p>\n
I guess it's hard to comprehend the thinking of the
\ngovernment, like allocating some Rp 90 million a year for the
\ngovernor's morning coffee.<\/p>\n
As far as I know, a cup of coffee for a poor person like me
\ncosts Rp 1,500. What's the difference between the governor's
\ncoffee and the poor's coffee? I think we are all the same despite
\nour social statuses.<\/p>\n
I'm afraid if the governor's coffee is too special he might
\ndie from a heart attack.<\/p>\n
Oding, 49, sells soft drinks in Senayan, Central Jakarta. His
\nwife and three children live in Juraganan, West Jakarta:<\/p>\n
I assume that with all the money for the City Public Order
\nOffice, it will be another year of tough and ruthless evictions.<\/p>\n
The whole thing is crazy and unreasonable. How could such a
\nlarge portion of the budget be spent to attack the powerless and
\nthe poor? Worse still, there is that much less left to help the
\npoor.<\/p>\n
I imagine that there will be more and more poor people
\nscattered throughout the city. It means that we will face even
\nmore hardship and tougher competition among the vendors here. I
\ncan already feel it. It's getting harder just to earn about Rp
\n30,000 a day.<\/p>\n
It's difficult to compare the governor's budget to my budget.
\nIt takes me a year to save up to buy new underwear. But high-
\nranking officials can buy a new car every month.<\/p>\n
It would be better to reject the proposed budget. Otherwise
\nthe poor people will get fed up. I swear it doesn't make any
\nsense.<\/p>\n
Diki, 31, works as a food vendor in West Jakarta. He lives in
\nPetamburan, West Jakarta, with friends. His wife and daughter
\nlive in Cirebon, West Java:<\/p>\n
The amount of money budgeted for the governor and the City
\nPublic Order Office is unreasonable, I think.<\/p>\n
I cannot imagine that the government will spend about Rp
\n250,000 a day just for (Sutiyoso's) morning coffee. So much money
\nfor one day! How many days do I have to work to earn that much
\nmoney? I'm lucky to make Rp 30,000 a day, but it's not always
\nthat good.<\/p>\n
It must be nice to be rich like him. I had to leave my home to
\nearn some money here because life is even harder in the village.<\/p>\n
I don't think poor people like me can understand the
\nallocations in the city budget.<\/p>\n
Rokhim, 43, sells fish in Muara Angke, North Jakarta, where he
\nalso lives with his wife and two children:<\/p>\n
I have no comment. I could never imagine so much money would
\nbe spent for the governor's morning coffee. I don't know anything
\nabout the government's budget.<\/p>\n
If it is true Rp 250,000 per day has been budgeted for the
\ngovernor's morning coffee, then I just can't understand it. It's
\nabsurd. How could that be?<\/p>\n
If he was kind he would donate the money to poor people like
\nme. At least the governor could lend us some money to start up
\nand improve our businesses.<\/p>\n
But do you think a poor person's opinion will be heard by the
\ngovernment? I don't think so.<\/p>\n
-- Leo Wahyudi S<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/its-hard-to-fathom-the-govts-thinking-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }