Studying or sightseeing?<\/p>\n
It is not only the age of multi-dimensional crisis but also
\nthe age of indifference. While continuing to witness the
\nhardships faced by the majority of Indonesian people, we still
\nobserve the indifference demonstrated by a number of thoughtless
\npoliticians. The persons in case are members of the Jakarta City
\nCouncil, who have been shamelessly enjoying themselves abroad
\nusing taxpayers' money. They call their trips \"comparative
\nstudies\", which the populace are expected to condone.<\/p>\n
However, recent reports revealing that their trips have
\nnothing to do with the people's interests have provoked angry
\nreactions from many parties, including the City and Urban Society
\nDivision of the Legal Aid Institute, and Indonesian Corruption
\nWatch. They protested against what they called the councillors'
\nthoughtlessness and arrogance, saying that the money wasted on
\noverseas travel could have been much better spent on the people's
\nwelfare.<\/p>\n
Some legislators have denied the futility of their trips,
\nwhile City Council chairman Edy Waluyo said last week that he had
\nreceived copies of letters from Indonesian consulates saying that
\nthe city councillors' trips were not effective due to a lack of
\npreparation. The original copies of the letters were sent to the
\nminister of home affairs.<\/p>\n
A councillor, after reading a copy of the letter, admitted
\nthat inadequate preparations had resulted in councillors only
\nenjoying themselves on a Los Angeles excursion. Itineraries from
\nthe travel agency which coordinated the tour schedule for
\nlegislators on a trip to China revealed visits to the Great Wall
\nand Ming Tomb, while they were also assured the chance to enjoy
\npeking duck and an acrobatic show.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in all countries, the honorable councillors were
\naccommodated in five-star hotels. Maybe they are trying to appear
\nas if they come from an advanced country, which has no foreign
\ndebts, much less the necessity to beg for increased loans from
\ninternational agencies. But for what?<\/p>\n
The excitement must have been so precious to them, especially
\nthose who had never been abroad, that the mounting criticism at
\nhome failed to deter them from traveling on to Tokyo \"to study
\ndisaster management\". (Besides those cities, other groups of
\ncouncillors also visited San Francisco, Mexico City, Buenos
\nAires, Madrid, Vancouver). The legislators were obviously so
\nhappy on their picnic that they decided to adopt the old adage --
\nimported from Arab countries -- \"let the dogs bark, the passing
\ncaravan will continue its journey\".<\/p>\n
Although the City Council has sent many groups abroad over the
\npast two decades, it is still inexperienced at making appropriate
\narrangements to ensure that the trips are worthwhile. The most
\nimportant thing to them is that, by hook or by crook, they have
\nto go.<\/p>\n
The current shameful fiasco seems to mean nothing to them
\nbecause, when they discussed the city budget for this year, they
\nwere pleased to approve Rp 11.9 billion (US$1.3 million) in
\nexpenditure for their own domestic and foreign trips. To date,
\nhalf of the amount has reportedly been spent.<\/p>\n
The result of previous trips has never been made public
\nbecause the public are never considered as having the right to
\nknow. It is ironic that councillors are willing to reject the New
\nOrder mentality, except when it serves their own interests.<\/p>\n
The current dilemma is how to stop this ugly game. Jakarta
\nGovernor Sutiyoso has indicated that he does not want to
\nintervene in legislative affairs. This is not the noble act of a
\ntrue democrat but, more likely, the fear of possible retaliation
\nfrom legislators who could cut the huge household or uniform
\nbudgets allocated to him, which have been steadily increased from
\nyear to year.<\/p>\n
The only possible way to halt this \"lawful\" corruption is
\nthrough the central executives of major parties with members on
\nthe City Council, such as the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle, Golkar or the United Development Party. They should
\ncensure their members' selfish and irresponsible acts. For
\nsincere politicians democracy is a noble value, but for others it
\ncan be hypocrisy without limitation. ***<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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