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Sat, 07 Feb 2004

JP/House tells govt to start deliberating 2005 budget

House tells govt to start deliberating 2005 budget

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government should begin discussing the 2005 state budget now as the new government, expected in October, would have little time to draft one, House of Representative legislators said.

Based on the House's Internal Regulations, the state budget must be endorsed at least one month before its implementation in January.

A new president is expected to take office on October 20, 2004. Prior to that, the country will hold its first ever direct presidential election on July 5, and a possible runoff for the top two candidates on Sept. 20.

House Speaker Akbar Tandjung said on Friday the House and the government had to start discussing the state budget immediately to avoid problems in the future.

"We have to start deliberating the state budget soon as the general election will change the composition of the House," he said on Friday.

Indonesia will hold the general election on April 5 to elect members of the House, the Regional Representatives Council (DPD), and the provincial and regental/municipal legislatures (DPRD I and DPRD II). A total of 24 political parties are eligible to contest the election.

Akbar said the House would put pressure on President Megawati Soekarnoputri to discuss the state budget at the next meeting between her and House leaders.

In his opening speech marking the start of last month's House sessions, Akbar had urged the government to begin discussing next year's budget because a newly elected government would not have time to do so, he said.

The House would also ask the President to assign ministers to discuss other priority bills, including those on the presidency, judicial commission and on the revision of regional administrative law.

National Awakening Party chairman Amin Said Husni concurred with Akbar. The government should understand the importance of these bills, he said.

The President should allocate time for a consultative meeting with House leaders, or the deliberation of bills - including the 2005 state budget - would be delayed, he said.