MPR members' planned overseas trip questioned<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The countries two largest political parties
\nslammed on Thursday a planned trip to dozens of countries by 90
\nmembers of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) working
\ncommittee as extravagant and unnecessary.<\/p>\n
The legislators are planning to go on tour to promote the
\nresults of the recent MPR Annual Session to Indonesian citizens
\nliving abroad.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
\nand the Golkar Party, which between them hold more than half of
\nthe Assembly's 700 seats, said the trip was inappropriate given
\nthe multidimensional crises facing the country.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan faction spokesman Yosef Umarhadi said his
\nfaction had lodged an objection to the plan and asked all its
\nmembers to mount a campaign against it.<\/p>\n
\"We have decided not to support the foreign trip because it
\nwill be very expensive and is not in line with our efforts to
\ncope with the economic crisis,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The MPR legislators are scheduled to visit 29 countries in
\nEurope, America and Asia. The trip, for which the Assembly has
\nallocated Rp 5 billion, was arranged based on an MPR
\nrecommendation assigning the working committee to carry out a
\npromotional program.<\/p>\n
Golkar chairman and House of Representatives Speaker Akbar
\nTandjung said he had asked all his of party's representatives on
\nthe committee to boycott the world tour.<\/p>\n
\"I have instructed all Golkar faction members on the committee
\nto shun the overseas trip because now is not the right time for
\nit. The country is still fighting an economic crisis. Moreover,
\nthe session's results should be promoted to people at home
\nfirst,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Only about one percent of Indonesia's 210 million people live
\nabroad.<\/p>\n
Support for the plan came from deputy MPR speaker Lt. Gen.
\nHari Sabarno, who said working committee members were only
\nfollowing Assembly orders.<\/p>\n
\"Why not? It's not wrong since it is (based on) an instruction
\nissued in the recent Annual Session. Besides the Assembly has
\nallocated funds for the purpose,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Hari said the working committee should go ahead with the
\nproposal and deliver an account on their arrival home.<\/p>\n
\"What does 'sense of crisis and urgency' mean? The committee's
\nplan to socialize the Annual Session's results is an
\ninstitutional decision. So the committee should go ahead with the
\nplan,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He blamed the media for exaggerating the seriousness of the
\nissue.<\/p>\n
Before the Annual Session, the working committee visited 29
\ncountries in connection with its constitutional amendment duties.
\nThe trip cost the Assembly Rp 25 billion.<\/p>\n
Arbi Sanit, a political expert at the University of Indonesia,
\nsaid the overseas visit was a recreational jaunt rather than a
\nstate duty.<\/p>\n
\"It's tourism. The legislators have the same spirit as the
\nPresident, who they like to criticize for his frequent foreign
\ntrips,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Arbi said the trip was a waste of money because Indonesian
\ncitizens living abroad were mostly educated and had access to
\ninformation regarding the Annual Session via the Internet.<\/p>\n
\"And most Indonesians living overseas were not really aware of
\nthe Annual Session,\" Arbi said. (jun\/rms)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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