More funds needed for discipline drive

JAKARTA (JP): A councilor urged the city administration yesterday to set aside more funds in the 1998/1999 fiscal year to finance the implementation of the National Discipline Movement.

Amarullah Asbah, head of the City Council's Commission C for financial affairs, said that Rp 26.9 billion (US$7.68 million) in the 1997/1998 city budget, down from Rp 34.5 billion in 1996/1997, was not enough to cover the movement's activities, especially security and order.

If the budget for security and order activities was increased, there would be no reason for city officials not to support the discipline campaign, he said.

"Many city officials have complained that they cannot implement the movement due to a lack of funds. If funding is increased but discipline is still low, it can be questioned," he said.

The National Discipline Movement was launched in 1995 by President Soeharto to encourage people to observe the basic elements of discipline ranging from queuing, disposing of litter in the proper place to maintaining punctuality.

Critics, however, said discipline does not only mean how to queue and drive properly. (05)