Lampung under fire over draft budget

Lampung under fire over draft budget

Oyos Suroso, The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung

Activists and experts lambasted Lampung's 2002 draft budget,
which they said reflected the provincial government's scant
concern for local social and economic problems.

An alliance of 36 non-governmental organizations grouped under
the Public Network Caring for Transparency and Regional Autonomy
(JMPTOD) called on the provincial legislative council to be
careful in deliberating the draft bill so as to win the
confidence of local people.

"The provincial legislature must have the courage to cut funds
allocated for the bureaucracy and reallocate them for local
development programs, so as to help solve the numerous serious
problems the locals are facing because of the prolonged economic
crisis," Achmad Julden Erwin, coordinator of the Lampung Anti-
Corruption Committee, said, in a joint media conference here over
the weekend.

Other NGOs who joined the media conference were, among others,
the Center for Public Policy and Strategic Studies (Pussbik),
Lampung Environmental Forum, Lampung Parliament Watch and the
local chapter of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI).

According to the draft budget, which was submitted to the
provincial legislative council recently, 70 percent, or Rp 293.9
billion, of the government's assessed income worth Rp 418.4
billion was allocated to finance the administration and only 30
percent or Rp 124.5 billion would be used to finance the
province's numerous development programs.

The province's income comprise of Rp 24.1 billion from the
2001 budget, Rp 141.6 billion from the general allocation funds
(DAU) from the state budget, Rp 20.4 billion from taxes and Rp
66.7 billion from non-tax revenue.

Erwin said that NGOs had frequently criticized the draft
budget before it was submitted to the legislature, but had gained
no positive response since from the provincial administration.

"We suspect the governor and the legislature are involved in
collusion to design the draft budget beforehand so the
legislature won't make any controversial amendments," he added.

He added the NGOs had set up a crisis center to inform the
public of the draft budget and to seek their response.

"All responses, reactions and criticisms lodged to the crisis
center will be handed over, both to the governor and the
legislature, with the hope they will be taken into consideration
in their deliberation," he said.

Asrian Hendicaya, coordinator of the Center for Development
Studies (Pusiban), criticized the draft budget for giving little
attention to social development programs, saying it contradicted
Government Regulation No. 110/2000, which stipulates that
regional budgets should be aimed at empowering the people.

"However, the draft budget adversely pays more attention to
financing the provincial administration and legislature," he
said.

Of almost Rp 294 billion allocated for routine spending, Rp
141 billion to pay the salaries of civil servants, Rp 30 billion
is allocated for the legislature and the rest is allocated for
the governor and his running costs.

"It's quite strange that the legislature's 75 members will
each take home Rp 25 million monthly, which includes their basic
monthly salary of Rp 5 million," Asrian said, citing the
allowances of legislators had also been raised.

He said that the other strange thing was the governor's
irrational budget.

"According to Government Regulation No 59/2000, the governor's
monthly gross salary is set at Rp 3 million, but the draft budget
allocates the governor's salary at Rp 126.4 million per year or
Rp 10 million per month," he said.

The provincial administration has allocated Rp 300 million
annually for the maintenance of the governor's official
residence, Rp 50 million annually for his health allowance, Rp 50
million annual clothing allowance, Rp 1.2 billion annually for
operational, travel allowances and Rp 675 million for gifts and
souvenirs.

According to him, the draft budget does not show any sign of
the local elite's solidarity for the majority of locals who are
struggling to cope economically.

"Many locals living in rural areas in the province have
consumed all their tiwul made of dried cassava because of
skyrocketing rice prices and local officials have not shown much
concern for the critical situation," he said.

Marselina, an economics expert from the University of Lampung,
said both the provincial administration and legislature should
prioritize social and economic development programs to help solve
unemployment, education, health problems in the province.

She said it was shameful that the provincial administration
allocated only Rp 12 billion, or 2.8 percent of the budget for
education, Rp 695.3 million for social affairs and Rp 2 billion
for employment.

Governor Oemarsono ruled out the criticisms, saying the budget
was balanced and it was oriented to empower low-income people.

"We have allocated special funds to accelerate development
programs in education, health and employment," he said, after
submitting the draft budget to the legislature.

Mochtar Hasan, deputy chairman of the legislative council,
admitted that the government had increased the legislature's
budget in an attempt to empower it to do its functions
effectively.

"Legislators deserve greater allowances to allow them to
conduct their daily activities and to prevent them from abusing
their power," he said.