Megawati spends $22.8m on overseas trips: PIB<\/p>\n
A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Having been in office for a year, President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri has spent a staggering US$22.8 million on overseas
\ntrips, according to a finding revealed by the Alliance for New
\nIndonesia (PIB).<\/p>\n
PIB chairman Sjahrir said such a sum was spent on presidential
\nvisits to the U.S., European countries, Southeast Asian
\ncountries, China, North Korea, India and others.<\/p>\n
\"Such extravagant expenditure is clear evidence that the
\nMegawati government has no sense of crisis,\" economist Sjahrir
\ntold a media conference on Monday.<\/p>\n
The conference was aimed at assessing President Megawati's
\nfirst-year performance, from both political and economic
\nperspectives.<\/p>\n
According to PIB, the data on Megawati's foreign trips was
\nobtained through media research and informal interviews,
\nincluding those with officials close to the President.<\/p>\n
The total cost of Megawati's foreign trips was calculated on
\nthe basis of expenditure on accommodation, transportation and
\ntravel allowances for Megawati's entourage, including a group of
\njournalists.<\/p>\n
\"As there was some data that we could not obtain, in the end,
\nwe simply made estimates,\" Sjahrir said, adding that, for
\nexample, an estimate was made of the total amount spent on hotel
\naccommodation.<\/p>\n
The difficulties were caused by a lack of government
\ntransparency in publishing in detail the cost of overseas trips,
\nsaid Sjahrir.<\/p>\n
\"Despite possible inaccuracies, the total spent by the
\nMegawati administration will show the public that this government
\nhas spent public money lavishly on overseas trips,\" said Sjahrir.<\/p>\n
According to PIB findings, Megawati and her entourage spent
\n$2.3 million on hotel accommodation and $12.8 million on
\ntransportation costs, including the charter costs of a Boeing
\n737-400 and Airbus A-330.<\/p>\n
In addition, a total of US$6.6 million was spent on allowances
\nfor entourage members.<\/p>\n
According to PIB findings, the government spent a total of
\nUS$1 million on the security force to guard Megawati during her
\nseveral-hour visit to East Timor to witness the country's
\nindependence ceremony this year.<\/p>\n
Expenditure for this high-profile visit included the cost of
\ndeploying six warships and 2,000 soldiers.<\/p>\n
\"In total, the overall sum spent by the Megawati government on
\noverseas trips amounted to US$22.8 million,\" said Sjahrir.<\/p>\n
PIB, a loose alliance of middle-class politicians and
\neconomists, is scheduled to become a political party by Sept. 23
\nthis year.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/megawati-spends-228m-on-overseas-trips-pib-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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