Rp 560b fund suggested for poor people<\/p>\n
Rp 560b find recommended for the poor<\/p>\n
Ahmad Junaidi
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
In the wake of criticism for receiving a financial windfall
\nfrom the city budget, city council members suggested on Friday
\nthat Jakarta's emergency fund of Rp 560 billion (US$56 million)
\nbe used to help disadvantaged people.<\/p>\n
\"Since we are still facing problems related to poor people,
\n(the city) can use the emergency fund to help them,\" Council
\nChairman Edy Waluyo told reporters at a year-end press
\nconference.<\/p>\n
Governor Sutiyoso, however, seemed reluctant to agree with the
\nproposal, saying that the city administration had already
\nallocated a fund for poor people out of next year's budget.<\/p>\n
\"But if the council suggested to use the fund, we could use
\nhalf of it,\" Sutiyoso told reporters at City Hall.<\/p>\n
The 560 billion emergency fund, mostly taken from city budget
\nsurpluses, was originally allocated for natural disasters, such
\nas flooding. For the past three years, the city has accumulated a
\nsurplus of Rp 400 billion.<\/p>\n
This year's proposed budget allocates Rp 176 billion for
\nbuilding low cost houses and apartments, and Rp 94 billion for
\nsocial welfare needs.<\/p>\n
Edy of the Indonesian Military (TNI)\/Police faction said that
\nthe fund could, for example, be used to build low-cost apartments
\nfor the poor, including those forcibly evicted from their
\nmakeshift houses in riverbanks recently.<\/p>\n
Thousands of people have been evicted and hundreds of houses
\nlocated in riverbanks were demolished this year by city public
\norder officers.<\/p>\n
Non-governmental organizations, including the National
\nCommission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), strongly criticized the
\nevictions, which they said were conducted without giving enough
\ncompensation to the victims.<\/p>\n
Komnas HAM said the compensation should be given to the
\nvictims, since the administration had allowed them to live along
\nthe riverbanks for years.<\/p>\n
The administration once planned to build low-cost apartments,
\nbut could only provide for the land, and asked the central
\ngovernment to finance the construction of the apartment.<\/p>\n
The council's suggestion seemed an effort to win people's
\nhearts after being sharply criticized on the amount of funds
\nallocated for its 85 councillors in next year's budget.<\/p>\n
More than Rp 100 billion would be set aside for the council --
\nincluding allowances for trips, health, meetings and official
\nwardrobes.<\/p>\n
This year, the council has received 55 complaints, which were
\nmostly related to the needs of poor people.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rp-560b-fund-suggested-for-poor-people-1447893297",
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