Councillors get money for canceled trip

Councillors get money for canceled trip

SURABAYA: Ten councillors from Commission E of the East Java
legislative council have accepted money for trips that were
canceled, according to commission chairman Harbiyah Shalahuddin.

Harbiyah said on Saturday the money was for preparing
administrative documents such as visas and passports. She,
however, declined to name the councillors.

Previously, 19 councillors were scheduled to tour the member
countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
and several European countries this month, at a cost of Rp 20
million (US$2,200) per person.

But the trip was canceled after Minister of Home Affairs Hari
Sabarno banned overseas trips involving more than 10 councillors.

Separately, councillor Luthfillah Masduki said the
councillors' decision to take the money was unethical and
reflected the true face of the legislature. She demanded the 10
councillors return the money.

Luthfillah said she suspected there was a conspiracy involving
the commission chairman, the council's secretary and the council
speaker, because the disbursement of the funds required all of
their approval.

Council Speaker Bisjri Abdul Djalil denied he had approved the
disbursement of the funds, saying he knew nothing about the
matter. --JP