Governor questions legal basis for councillors cars

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Governor Sutiyoso questioned the legal basis for the provision of cars for 71 city councillors, arguing that such a facility was not stipulated in Government Regulation No. 24/2004 on protocol and the financial status of provincial council leaders and members.

"The regulation only specifies housing for councillors," he said on Tuesday.

Sutiyoso said he would only approve the provision of cars for city councillors, which would be taken out of the Rp 13.93 trillion (US$1.55 million) city budget, if it was clearly stipulated in government regulations.

"I have to be responsible in spending taxpayers money, so I need a legal basis for the procurement."

City spokesman Catur Laswanto said on Monday that the deliberation of a draft bylaw on financial matters for city council leaders and members, which would be the legal basis for providing the cars, was still pending.

The councillors have asked for Toyota Kijang Innova, priced at around Rp 200 million each, meaning that the budget must allow for Rp 14.2 billion for councillors' cars.

The draft bylaw, prepared by a team chaired by council deputy speaker Ahmad Heriyawan, stipulates that councillors are also entitled to other facilities, including houses, health insurance for the councillors and their families, and clothing.

Heriyawan admitted that the proposal for the operational cars had sparked controversy, as no clear ruling was provided in government regulation.

He said, while the council was seeking approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs, it would also listen to "the people's opinion" as to whether councillors deserved the cars.

"Each faction will express their opinion on the bylaw in the council's plenary session on Dec. 17," he said.

The council held its first plenary session to hear reports from Commission A for administration and government affairs and Commission C for city revenue on the draft bylaw.

While the two commissions did not object to the draft bylaw, they did not specifically support the facilities provided in it either.

Commission A spokeswoman Maria Ahdiati said the draft bylaw had followed the principle of equality between the council and the administration, whereby the payment received by the council speaker was equivalent to the governor's basic salary.

She said her commission agreed that a team of experts should be appointed for each of the four commissions, but suggested that the size of the teams be in accordance with the number of members of each commission.