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.