Former legislators illegally lease official residence

JAKARTA (JP): Several members of the 1992/1997 House of Representatives have illegally let their official residence, an official in charge of legislators' housing complex management revealed here yesterday.

The 1992/1997 House members ended their term on Sept. 30.

Muslihatna alleged that the new tenants had violated many rules during their stay in the housing complex, and caused losses to the state.

"It's outrageous and we've warned the legislators (who rented out their residence), but there has been no response so far," he said.

Muslihatna did not explain why he was only revealing the information now or why the violations occurred.

In his report to Deputy House Speaker Abdul Gafur, who inspected legislators housing complex in Kalibata, South Jakarta, yesterday, Muslihatna said this month alone there had been a Rp 154 million (US$44,000) unpaid electricity bill from 151 houses whereas the unpaid telephone bill had reached Rp 63 million.

"There is even a house which had not paid its electricity and telephone bill for 18 months," he said, adding that the state actually provides each legislator with a Rp 125,000 and a Rp 61,000 monthly subsidy for respective bills.

"Therefore, we hope (from now on) only the legislators stay in the residence," he added.

Responding to the report, Gafur -- who chairs Commission VIII in the House of Representatives and the House's internal affairs body -- expressed hope that the new legislators would not follow in their predecessors' footsteps.

There are still 42 vacant houses for legislators of the Golkar faction to move into, while those for the United Development Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party factions have been all occupied.

Gafur urged legislators who did not want to move into their official residence to return the facilities to the state instead of leasing or giving them to somebody else to live in.

"Don't let the house be used by siblings, for instance, let alone lease them to somebody else," he said.

Gafur said all the legislators who were not reelected for the 1997/2002 office term were urged to leave their official residence before the end of December.

"Before leaving, it is hoped that they will clean up and renovate the houses," he said. (aan/amd)