PDI donates session honorariums<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The \"I Love My Homeland\" drive, initiated by
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly member Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana who
\nsold U.S. dollars for rupiah, returned to the spotlight yesterday
\nafter a period of inertia.<\/p>\n
It was the faction of the minority Indonesian Democratic Party
\n(PDI) which gave new blood to the nationwide campaign to help the
\ngovernment alleviate the economic crisis. The party announced it
\nwas donating the honorariums, worth Rp 9.600.000 (US$1,120), that
\nwere to be given to its 16 legislators.<\/p>\n
PDI spokesman Antonius Rahael did not explicitly refer to the
\nHardiyanti-led nationalistic drive when he announced the
\nfaction's intention before an Assembly plenary session yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"This prolonged economic crisis has become not only our common
\nconcern, but our neighboring countries' as well. We, therefore,
\nhave to fight together to survive the crisis,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"We call on the other Assembly members to follow in our
\nfootsteps,\" he added.<\/p>\n
The PDI faction, the smallest in the 1,000-member Assembly,
\nalso comprises Fatimah Ahmad, who is also Deputy Speaker of the
\nAssembly, Panangian Siregar, Idi Siswaya, Bambang Mintoko,
\nSujanto, Budi Hardjono, Markus Wauran, Sebastian Massardy Kaphat,
\nNicholaus Daryanto, JB Wiyanjono, Buttu R. Hutapea, who is PDI
\nsecretary-general, Ismunandar, Clara Sitompul, Soedaryanto and
\nYahya Theo.<\/p>\n
All the members of the Assembly's quinquennial convention from
\nMarch 1 to March 11 earn an honorarium of Rp 600,000. They also
\nreceive a daily allowance of Rp 60,000, plus luxurious
\naccommodation and meals in hotels.<\/p>\n
Rahael, who is also a House of Representative member,
\nsuggested that Assembly leaders organize the donation campaign.<\/p>\n
\"We all have to take part in the efforts to solve the crisis,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Hardiyanti, the eldest daughter of President Soeharto, led a
\ngroup of Assembly legislators to exchange some of their U.S.
\ndollar savings into rupiah in January.<\/p>\n
Other than selling U.S. dollars, many people have also donated
\njewelry to the state. (amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pdi-donates-session-honorariums-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}