Governor criticized for budget allocation

Governor criticized for budget allocation

JAKARTA (JP): City councillors on Monday criticized the
administration's failure to make optimum use of its budget,
arguing that most of the money went to needless programs rather
than essential development initiatives.

Binsar Tambunan, chairman of the Council's Commission A on
governmental affairs, pointed out that Rp 3.925 billion earmarked
to promote legal affairs was wasted on ephemeral law enforcement
campaigns.

Speaking at a council plenary meeting to discuss the report of
the city's 2000 budget surplus, which would be inserted as part
of Governor Sutiyoso's accountability statement, Tambunan also
lamented the slow pace of restructuring within the
administration, despite Rp 500 million allocated for that
purpose.

"I found the report disappointing. It seems the administration
only cares about making accountable programs without paying
attention to their targets and results," Binsar said, as quoted
by Antara.

Binsar also pointed out that the Rp 23.57 billion budget for
the city's security and order agency was largely squandered, as
it was used sporadically without any clear long term program or
objective.

Factions in the City Council will present their respective
reply to the governor's accountability speech later this week.
The governor is scheduled to resume his duties after returning
from the United States.

Meanwhile, Dani Anwar, secretary of Commission B which
supervises trade affairs, said that the allocation of Rp 1.2
billion to develop the management of city-run companies had not
yielded signs of more effective management.

"We see that many city-owned companies and joint venture
companies continue losing money. Losses which are due to a lack
of professional executives and accurate business projections," he
said.

The 2000 budget was initially set at Rp 3.29 trillion but then
ballooned to Rp 4.05 trillion after the city administration
received revenue totaling Rp 4.894 trillion, Rp 835.36 billion
higher than expected.

Joint ventures

Separately, secretary of Commission C on economic affairs,
Azis Boeang, proposed that the administration evaluate what he
described as its unprofitable cooperation with several joint
venture companies.

Boeang said he was very disappointed that the administration
had failed to reach its targeted Rp 24.93 billion in revenues
from those companies.

He identified joint venture companies PT Alkasa Industrindo,
PT Determinan Indah, PT Abbatoir, PT Pembangunan Jaya, PT Jaya
Nur Sukses, PT Graha Sahari, PT Pakuan Internasional and PT
Waserda Jaya, as among those that needed to be reevaluated.

"If necessary, the unprofitable firms must be dissolved or
sold," Boeang insisted.(bby)