Cash crunch cuts into MPR perks
JAKARTA (JP): Billions of rupiah are being shelled out for the Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), even as Jakartans struggle to cope with the economic crisis and steel themselves for possible unrest.
Are there are perks and freebies left for the nation's chosen few in these straitened times?
"Oh yes, there is a free massage service," said Afif Ma'roef, secretary-general of the Assembly (MPR)/House of Representatives (DPR).
"Use a steamroller!"
The retired two-star Army general laughed and added that any extras to the daily business of the session came at a price.
"Of course, they (MPR members) have to pay."
Afif spoke to journalists in his office on Thursday about preparations by his 1,400-strong workforce for the four-day MPR session, which kicks off on Tuesday and ends Friday.
Assembly members began to check into the designated hotels -- Jakarta Hilton International and Mulia Senayan, both holding five-star ratings -- over the weekend.
Hilton public relations manager Dewi Widyanti said on Friday that 400 rooms in the main building and the Lagoon and Garden towers were allocated for the four factions excluding Golkar.
The hotel has 1,104 rooms.
Mulia public relations manager Daddo Parus said 606 rooms, including four suites were booked for the Golkar delegation, apart from rooms for organizers.
"We have 1,008 rooms and all are taken from Nov. 7 to Nov. 15."
It is unclear who will get to bed down in the suites, which are usually US$280, plus 21 percent tax and service charge, per night. Daddo said "all services" in the suites were included in the room charge.
For most legislators, the government's cash crunch means few perks are expected.
Afif said there would be no new suits because those provided for the legislators for the March 1998 MPR General Assembly were still in peak condition.
The excitement may come in the session itself because some legislators are more courageous in speaking up since Soeharto was forced to resign from the presidency in May on a wave of public discontent.
Session fireworks, if they ignite, will be a marked departure from past humdrum sessions, in which many legislators were often observed dozing off.
Afif said each legislator would receive the same daily allowance set for last March's MPR session of a Rp 60,000 (now US$7.5) daily allowance plus a lump-sum honorarium of Rp 600,000.
The budget for the much shorter session this time is Rp 13.5 billion, compared to Rp 44.7 billion for the 11-day March session.
Afif professed to forgetting the expenditure details from March. However, more than Rp 16 billion was earmarked for accommodations of members at four luxury hotels last time around.
The hotel public relations managers declined to mention the rate for the legislative camps.
"It's our clients' confidentiality," Dewi said.
"If I tell you, I am afraid it could affect the rate of our rooms in the future," Daddo vouched.
The standard rate at Mulia is Rp 650,000 per night, while the Hilton's is Rp 500,000. Both rates are exclusive of the 21 percent tax and service charge.
Afif promised: "Once the budget's been used, we'll be transparent (in reporting it)."
He said an outstanding amount of Rp 2 billion from the budget for last March was returned to the state coffers.
The upcoming session will have fewer promotional stalls in the Assembly lobby.
"But we'll try to get some jamu (traditional herbal tonic) stalls," Afif said, referring to some of the most popular stalls from March.
Afif admitted that several small-scale traders feeling out business opportunities ultimately came away discouraged.
"We just told them that we would not cover their losses if something bad happened," Afif said.
Then again, if verbal pyrotechnics do occur in the session, a killing could be made in soothing massage and herbal tonics for harried legislators. (edt/01/aan)