Legislators shun hotel to 'disgust' of others

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Members of the Reform faction of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) left the Mulia Hotel on Friday, saying that they did not want to use the facility during the annual meeting.

Golkar legislator Marzuki Ahmad was disgusted by their behavior arguing that faction members should have raised their objections from the very beginning.

However, National Mandate Party (PAN) legislator Alvin Lie said the decision not to stay at the hotel during the annual session was aimed at saving money.

Fellow PAN legislator Irwan Prayitno added that all faction members were requested to stay at the official residence in Kalibata, South Jakarta.

The Reform faction requested the Assembly Secretariat to revise the Annual Session's accommodation budget.

The faction consisting of the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the Justice Party (PK) also proposed to cut the meeting's duration.

Alvin revealed the cost for each legislator to stay at the hotel was Rp800,000 per day. The faction's decision could save the budget at least Rp320 million.

The Reform faction has 47 members in MPR comprising of 41 House members and six regional representatives.

The Assembly Secretariat allocated Rp20 billion to finance the ten-day meeting.