City Council talks money in Puncak
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
City councillors and officials start to discuss the 2003 city budget, which amounts to Rp 11.05 trillion (US$1.23 billion), on Tuesday amid public criticism of their poor performance and of the huge renumeration packages they receive.
Councillor Ahmad Heryawan of the Justice Party claimed that the venue for the two-day discussion, which would take place at privately owned Ciloto Indah Permai Hotel and Resort, had been agreed by a majority of the 85 councillors.
"We suggested that the discussion take place here, but a majority wanted it at the Puncak," Heryawan, a member of Council Commission E for social welfare affairs, said.
According to the Council's schedule, the meeting on the budget should take place at city-owned Wisma Jaya Raya in the Puncak, Bogor.
But the meeting was moved to the hotel in Ciloto, Cianjur regency as Wisma Jaya Raya had been booked by paramilitary youth group Pemuda Panca Marga.
Councillor Ridlo Kamaludin of the United Development Party revealed on Monday that the meeting on the budget could not take place here at City Council premises.
"It (the hotel costs) has already been paid for," said Ridlo of Council Commission C for financial and budgetary affairs, without mentioning the costs of the meeting.
A source said on Monday that the Council had booked at least 100 rooms at the hotel in Ciloto costing Rp 200,000 each per night for four nights. It was more expensive than the rate at Wisma Jaya Raya, which was about Rp 150,000 per night.
"It's more expensive. At Wisma Jaya Raya, we could obtain a 30 percent discount as it's owned by the administration," the source said.
The source added that the meeting, including accommodation and food, could cost Rp 200 million, refuting a report that it would total Rp 1.5 billion.
"However, if the meeting allowance for the councillors is included, it would probably reach that amount (Rp 1.5 billion)," the source said.
Many observers criticized the councillors for holding the budget discussion at the Puncak and wasting public money.
They also considered that the councillors were trying to avoid public scrutiny by having the meeting there.
In previous years, although councillors were provided with rooms at Wisma Jaya Raya, most did not stay overnight.
Food and beverages provided by the hotel were not touched by councillors either as they dined at restaurants near the hotel.
Several businessmen were seen hanging around the hotel, during the meeting, believed to be trying to lobby councillors and city officials.
During the meeting, councillors would also discuss facilities to be received by themselves and city officials, especially the governor.
Observers deplored earlier the allocation of Rp 90 billion, in the proposed 2003 budget, to the city's 85 councillors, including Rp 42 billion for salary and transport allowances and Rp 1 billion for clothing.
The proposed budget also allocates Rp 9 billion to Governor Sutiyoso.
The allocation of Rp 90 billion to councillors and Rp 9 billion to Sutiyoso was ironic as the budget only allocated Rp 26 billion to poor people in the city, who total 1.2 million people.
The budget proposal, which was officially submitted by Sutiyoso on Jan. 14, is scheduled to be approved by the Council at the end of this month. In past years, the Council has approved the budget without significant amendment.