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.