Legislators tour region to asses their own worth
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Indonesian legislators, undaunted by critics who say their priorities should focus on a shaky economy at home, are preparing to embark on official trips to capital cities throughout Asia to study the salaries members of parliament earn in other countries.
The traveling lawmakers, who refer to the trips as part of a "comparative study," are in charge of the House of Representatives' (MPR) In-House Affairs Body, which oversees the legislature's administrative affairs.
The information they plan to investigate during their travels includes the salaries of foreign legislators, their benefits along with their personal office facilities.
"We will check out if we have met their standards," Gusti Basan Burnia, one of the legislators, told The Jakarta Post in an interview here on Tuesday.
The exact date of their departure has yet to be made public; however, the legislators' wives will accompany them.
"We don't know the exact schedule, because of the approaching Christmas festivities," he said, before adding that the group will likely depart "very soon."
This is not the first time members of the house of representatives and People's Consultative Assembly (DPR) have come under fire for "comparative studies" overseas -- and in the process, spending huge sums of taxpayer money without meaningful results.
In fact, it has become a common practice: In August of 2000, a group of legislators from the MPR's financial commission visited Thailand and Malaysia to examine the banking restructuring program in those countries.
One month later, 39 members of the DPR went abroad to socialize results of their annual session. According to DPR Secretary-General Umar Basalim, his office has allocated Rp 5.4 billion for socialization program.
During this trip, each legislator received US$250 in bonuses to buy souvenirs.
Pro-reform campaigners have repeatedly called for a limitation on foreign trips due to the current economic turmoil. But Gusti said that this trip will follow proper procedure.
Recently, the Jakarta provincial councilors went on a similar "study" to Japan, China, Argentina and the U.S.
In that instance, both tour organizers and non-governmental organization (NGO) activists publicized the fact that these programs were family outings at the taxpayers' expense.
The MPR team, which will visit Canberra, Australia, from Dec. 20 to Dec. 23, will consist of 10 legislators, and one member of the administration staff.
They include: Gusti; Benny Pasaribu; Mangara Siahaan (of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle); Berny Tamara, Soeharsojo; Charles J. Mesang (Golkar); Danial Tanjung and Endin Soefihara (of the United Development Party).
Along for the trip will be Rokib Abdul Kadir (of Reform) and Umroh Tholhah Mansyur (of the National Awakening Party).
The other team bound for Asian cities will be headed by Asep Sudjana, chairman of the In-House Affairs Body; he was traveling in West Java and unavailable for comment.
The visit, said Gusti, had been arranged by the MPR secretariat-general; he dismissed speculation that the foreign visit was designed purely for leisure.
"Every year, the legislators have to decide which will be their country of destination," he said.
Asked about the presence of the legislators' wives on the state trips, Gusti replied that they would be traveling with their husbands at their own expense.