New building should bolster House performance: Speaker<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A new office building, once completed next year,
\nshould bolster the performance of legislators in representing the
\npeople, Speaker of the House of Representatives Wahono said
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
Wahono met with President Soeharto at the latter's Bina Graha
\npresidential office to discuss the final preparations for the
\nconstruction of the Rp 116 billion ($50 million) 24-story
\nbuilding in the House's huge complex in the Senayan district.<\/p>\n
If everything goes as planned, House members will be able to
\nmove in by March next year, Wahono said.<\/p>\n
Among the main features of the new office building, which has
\na total space of 55,662 square meters, are the spacious
\nconference rooms for every faction in the House, rooms for the
\nHouse leaders, and a 24-square-meter room each for the 500 House
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
In comparison, under the present facility, a 24-square meter
\nroom is used by 10 people, he said.<\/p>\n
There will also be rooms for expert aides to legislators who
\nwill help House members formulate bills.<\/p>\n
"If you've been questioning why hasn't the House ever
\ninitiated a bill, that's because for that kind of work, House
\nmembers need the assistance of experts," Wahono told reporters.<\/p>\n
"That's why I'm optimistic that with the new facility, the
\nHouse members will have the ability to initiate new bills," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
All the legislations passed by the House since 1965 have been
\ninitiated by the government, lending credence to the accusations
\nthat the House is a mere rubber stamp for the government.<\/p>\n
The new building is being financed entirely from the state
\nbudget. The contractor is Citra Adijoyo Operation which is a
\njoint venture between state-owned contractor PT Adikarya and PT
\nCitra Lamtorogung, a private company owned by President
\nSoeharto's eldest daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana.<\/p>\n
Wahono said he has also secured the President's approval to
\nfinance the construction of an Rp 3.8 billion mosque inside the
\nHouse complex .<\/p>\n
On another matter, Wahono said the chaos on the roads, bus
\nterminals, ferry ports and railway stations seen during the Idul
\nFitri holiday this past week reflected the lack of discipline
\namong the people.<\/p>\n
"The National Discipline Movement launched since last year has
\nbeen mere lip service," he said.<\/p>\n
Given Indonesia's strong paternal tradition, it is the people
\nin high government positions who should begin the discipline
\ndrive and the rest of the people will be bound to follow, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
"It seems like a small thing but that is the reality about
\ndiscipline," he said. (01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/new-building-should-bolster-house-performance-speaker-1447893297",
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