President's two visits burden Batam administration: Official<\/p>\n
Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam<\/p>\n
Batam City Council staff may not be paid for two months work
\nbecause the Batam municipal administration claims it spent Rp
\n11.5 billion (US$1.4 million) to cover expenses partly for two
\npresidential visits to Batam.<\/p>\n
The administration's total annual budget is Rp 358 billion
\n($45 million).<\/p>\n
Batam municipality development department head Samsul Bahrum
\nsaid it sourced the money from its annual budget (APBD) to cover
\nthe costs of Megawati's and her entourage's accommodation and
\ntransportation expenses during the visits.<\/p>\n
He declined to say how much money was spent on accommodation
\nand transportation of the President's entourage.<\/p>\n
But local officials, who refused to be named, said the two
\npresidential visits cost more than Rp 4 billion.<\/p>\n
Samsul said some of the Rp 11.5 billion was used to fund other
\nnational events, including the Indonesia Open 2003, an exhibition
\nby the Association of the Indonesian City Administrations
\n(Apeksi) and the Green City program.<\/p>\n
Samsul claimed the money had originally been earmarked for two
\nmonths pay for the municipality's civil servants.<\/p>\n
\"As the Rp 11.5 already ran out, we have to seek immediately a
\nsubstitute,\" he told reporters.<\/p>\n
Samsul said the Batam municipality would immediately propose
\nto the Batam Legislative Council and the central government that
\nit be allowed to source substitute funds to cover the shortfalls
\nin the annual budget.<\/p>\n
Megawati visited Nongsa in Batam to open the State
\nIntelligence School last July. It was followed by another visit
\nin August to inaugurate a project by state gas company PT
\nPerusahaan Gas Negara (PT PGN) in Panaran, Batam.<\/p>\n
\"Actually, we don't allocate funds in our annual budget for
\nthese kinds of activities, but it is not appropriate if we avoid
\npaying the expenses of official guests. Should the President
\ncome, at least we have to cover the accommodation and
\ntransportation expenses for her and her entourage,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Batam legislative council budget committee
\nsecretary Asmin Patros said it had the final say over whether it
\nwould agree the proposal.<\/p>\n
Separately, Batam Youth Front chairman Yudi Kurnain said the
\nmunicipality should not be responsible for the spending of the
\npresident during her visits.<\/p>\n
\"The State Secretariat should finance her visits, and not the
\nregional governments,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/presidents-two-visits-burden-batam-administration-official-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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