City councilors to discuss 2003 budget in Puncak
City councilors to discuss 2003 budget in Puncak
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Undeterred by public criticism in the past, city councillors
and city officials will keep with the tradition of discussing the
city budget in the mountainous Puncak area in West Java.
However, this year the budget will not be discussed at city-
owned resort Wisma Jaya Raya in Cipayung, Puncak, but at
privately owned Bukit Indah Hotel and Resort in Ciloto, also in
Puncak, city council deputy chairman M. Suwardi said over the
weekend.
"The discussion of the 2003 budget was moved from Wisma Jaya
Raya to a hotel in Ciloto because Wisma Jaya Raya was already
booked by an organization," Suwardi told The Jakarta Post.
He denied that the hotel in Ciloto was chosen over Wisma Jaya
Raya because it was more comfortable and had better facilities.
An employee at Wisma Jaya Raya, Sugiharto, confirmed that the
paramilitary youth group Pemuda Panca Marga had booked the
hotel's 700 rooms for its national meeting on Tuesday and
Wednesday.
"Rooms will become available on Thursday if you want to book a
room," Sugiharto told the Post on Saturday.
The Rp 11.05 trillion budget was initially scheduled to be
discussed on Jan. 21 and Jan. 22 at Wisma Jaya Raya.
Last year's two-day budget discussion at Wisma Jaya Raya
reportedly cost Rp 1.5 billion for accommodation, food and
beverages for 84 councillors.
Many observers criticized the venue for the budget discussion
as a waste of public money, adding that Puncak was chosen to
avoid public scrutiny of the discussion.
During the discussion in Puncak, the councillors and city
officials discussed the allocation of project funds.
Some businessmen visited Wisma Jaya Raya and were believed to
approach councillors and officials to discuss certain projects.
The councillors and officials also discussed funds to be
allocated to them this year.
This year's budget proposal allocates a total of Rp 91 billion
for the councillors, including Rp 42 billion for their salaries
and transportation, Rp 5 billion for domestic and foreign trips
and Rp 1 billion for clothing.
The allocation of Rp 91 billion for 85 councillors is ironic
since the budget only allocates Rp 26 billion for disadvantaged
people, whose numbers currently reach 1.2 million people.
The budget proposal also allocates Rp 9 billion for Governor
Sutiyoso, including Rp 90 million for morning coffee, Rp 65
million for clothing and Rp 90 million for newspapers and
magazines.
The budget, which was officially submitted by Sutiyoso on Jan.
14, is scheduled to be approved by the council on Jan. 31. The
councillors rarely make any significant changes.