Governor blasted over car row

SURABAYA: Accused of not having a sense of crisis, East Java Governor Imam Utomo was strongly criticized for his plan to spend Rp 10 billion from the provincial budget to buy new cars and motorcycles.

Faried Al Fauzi of the budgetary committee at the East Java provincial legislature blasted Utomo's plan on Tuesday, saying it indicated that the governor was not sensitive to the economic condition of the common people.

"The provincial administration found it difficult to meet the civil servants' demand for salary hike. Now the governor is ready to spend that huge amount of money for cars," Faried said.

According to the revised 2001 budget, the governor wanted to buy 50 cars of various types worth Rp 8.8 billion and 90 motorcycles worth Rp 918 million.

Utomo told reporters on Tuesday that the proposal for the additional fund had been submitted to him. "But I rejected it." (nur)