Draft city budget to be examined before endorsement

JAKARTA (JP): A councillor promised on Sunday to look into the 2001 draft city budget to prevent the city administration from squandering money on unnecessary programs.

Councillor Amarullah Asbah from the Golkar Party said each of the council's five commissions would be involved in the effort, which is also aimed at minimizing corruption.

"(If necessary,) we'll even recommend making some cuts to the expenditures," Amarullah told The Jakarta Post.

"We want to make sure the city administration will not waste the city budget and concentrate more on feasible and useful programs for the general public," he added.

The five commissions at City Council are in charge of administration and security, economy, city revenue, development and social welfare.

Many have questioned the draft budget, which is said to be wasteful and does not take the crisis into consideration.

Items under scrutiny on the draft budget include the Rp 7.55 billion (US$794,500) allocated for the governor to finance his official residence, cars, clothes and overseas trips.

Another allocation drawing concern is the Rp 30 billion for the sociopolitical directorate, which is due to be dissolved next year. The office received Rp 6 billion under the current April- December budget.

Amarullah said councillors in each of the commissions would further question items related to their authority.

"Commission C, for example, will question some of the nonphysical expenditures, such as training for farming and husbandry in the capital.

"In the draft, the city has allocated some Rp 500 million for each mayoralty to finance these activities," he added.

"What kind of farming and husbandry can people do in the capital (after receiving the training)?"

Jakarta has five mayoralties.

Amarullah said the commissions would underline effectiveness and efficiency in the city's spending, although the capital is looking for more revenue due to the implementation of regional autonomy in January 2001.

"I have even heard that one of the commissions -- I forgot which one -- will question the expenditures of the city spokesman's office because they are too large," Amarullah said, adding that the office would receive Rp 2 billion in next year's annual budget.

He said the commissions would have a joint meeting to further discuss the budget on Thursday and Friday before the 2001 city budget is endorsed on Dec. 20.

Amarullah said he firmly hoped that councillors would make significant corrections to the use of the money. (dja)