Councillors' departure abroad not confirmed

JAKARTA (JP): Sources at City Council gave conflicting information regarding the departure of several city councillors for Japan, ostensibly to conduct a comparative study on disaster management.

One source at the council confirmed that several members of City Council Commission A for administration, security and public order, government affairs departed on Friday evening, while another said that they would leave the city next week.

None of the councillors from Commission A could be reached for comment as their chamber was empty on Friday afternoon.

Earlier, a member of Commission A, Abdul Aziz Matnur, admitted that some councillors of the commission planned the visit to Tokyo, which has been hailed as a model city for disaster management.

He stressed the urgency to set up a disaster management plan for the city which would also cover social conflict, such as riots.

The public has criticized some of the foreign trips taken by city councillors, saying that the trips were a waste of taxpayers' money.

So far, the councillors have visited Mexico, the United States and Canada for conducting comparative studies on several subjects, including taxation, waste management, education and social welfare.

Meanwhile, some councillors from Commission D for development affairs will reportedly leave the city this month for Buenos Aires, Argentina, for a comparative study on waste management.

The chairman of Commission D, Sayogo Hendrosoebroto confirmed the visit on Friday afternoon by saying that the councillors had planned the trip to learn more about waste management.

He told the Post that the council had set up a master plan on waste management in 1992 with guidance from the Japanese government, and that the plan would be futile if it was not followed up with the study in Argentina.

In June, five councillors from Commission D had conducted a comparative study in Vancouver, Canada, on the same subject.

Sayogo defended the councillors, saying that they worked hard during the comparative studies abroad instead of enjoying themselves. He added that the trips were exhausting.

"It is tiring to do a comparative study because the time and budget for the trip are limited," he said.

Foreign trips to conduct comparative studies are useful for the councillors, particularly as they gain knowledge, which enables them "to argue with the executive in a discussion about certain subjects," said Sayogo.

Separately, the city council chairman, Edy Waluyo, noted that the councillors had to file a report about the comparative study abroad.

He said that the report would be used to give input to the city administration, particularly on the subjects that had been learned during the comparative study.(04)