Megawati to present draft 2000 budget
Megawati to present draft 2000 budget
JAKARTA (JP): The duet of Abdurrahman Wahid and Megawati
Soekarnoputri has shown that they are unconventional, and on Jan.
20 they will again break with tradition as it is the Vice
President who will present the draft 2000 budget to the House of
Representatives.
It is customary for the president to appear and read his
address on the draft budget. But due to the condition of
Abdurrahman's eyesight, it is Vice President Megawati who is
scheduled to do so.
Palace officials said President Abdurrahman would only make
introductory remarks and prepare to answer questions from House
members during the plenary sessions.
"The Vice President's speech will concentrate on finance and
monetary affairs, while the President's off-the-cuff remarks will
focus on political issues," said the official.
In another departure of things past, the budget which usually
covers the period from April to March the following year, will
this year only cover state expenses and revenue for the nine
months from April to December.
The government has taken the decision to move the beginning of
the fiscal year, starting in 2001, to January.
According to sources, the Coordinating Minister for the
Economy, Finance and Industry, Kwik Kian Gie, is in charge of
preparing the initial draft speech. The final draft speech to be
read at the House will be the responsibility of Megawati.
"A plenary Cabinet meeting will then adopt the budget draft
speech before it is read," the official said.
On the same day the draft budget is presented, Kwik is
expected to sign a new letter of intent with the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) as a package to the budget draft.
In a separate development, the President and First Lady Sinta
Nuriyah are continuing their treatment with a special medical
team from China.
The chief of the presidential medical team, Umar Wahid, is
assigned to coordinate the treatment.
"The President's health is excellent, including his diabetes
and high blood pressure problems," he said.
The First Lady also received encouraging news, and doctors
have suggested that the possibility of her being able to fully
walk again remained high. (prb)