Council defends meeting in Puncak

JAKARTA (JP): City Council speaker Edy Waluyo denied on Monday reports that city councilors spent a great deal of money to fund their meeting about the city's budget in the Puncak resort area in Bogor recently.

Edy said the two-day meeting which was opened on Oct. 28 was conducted at Jaya Raya villa, which is owned by the city administration.

"So we didn't pay anything for it. Our stay at the villa even helped promote the facility as was proven by the many people who reserved places there after we concluded the meeting," he said.

He said holding the meeting in the villa was more effective and efficient than if it had been conducted in the city council chambers.

Moreover it was held only over two days as compared to five days if it had been conducted in the city council building, he said.

The councilors could also concentrate more easily on the topic under discussion without being disturbed by other matters, including family problems, he said.

They could also discuss the topic until late at night in the villa, he insisted.

Edy denied that the council had received Rp 75 million (US$10,000) from city-owned Bank DKI to finance the meeting.

"It's not true. If it were true it would have to be processed according to the existing regulations," he said, without giving details on the funds needed to finance the meeting. (jun)