MPR ignores call for modest life

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Hundreds of members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) checked in at the Mulia Hotel on Monday despite calls by their chairman Hidayat Nur Wahid to lead a simple lifestyle.

Assembly deputy secretary general Eddie Siregar said Monday Assembly members would stay in the hotel until Oct. 21, one day after the inauguration of president-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

"We have reached an agreement with the hotel management that it would charge for occupied rooms only, and up until now we have not received objections from Assembly members," Siregar said.

Siregar said the standard room at the Mulia Hotel costs Rp 400,000 a night.

The Assembly, consisting of 547 House of Representatives (DPR) members and 128 Regional Representatives Council (DPD) members, will convene Tuesday to swear in Susilo and vice-president-elect Jusuf Kalla on Oct. 20.

Hidayat appealed to Assembly members on Monday morning not to stay at the Hotel Mulia, a short walking distance from the MPR compound.

Members, especially those already staying in official residences in Kalibata, South Jakarta, did not need to check in to the hotel, he said.

"We in principle should to avoid excessive budget allocations for Assembly members," Hidayat was quoted by detik.com as saying.

Earlier, Hidayat of the Muslim-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) said Assembly leaders would reject the luxurious Volvo sedans usually provided for high-ranking state officials.

His announcement was supported by Assembly deputy speakers A.M. Fatwa of the National Mandate Party (PAN), and Mooryati Soedibyo and Aksa Mahmud from the Regional Representatives Council (DPD).

DPD Speaker Ginandjar Kartasasmita said he supported Hidayat's moral campaign for the country's leaders to act and live modestly.

The National Awakening Party (PKB) faction said it would not stay at the hotel and suggested the money allocated for rooms be instead donated to the poor.

"We Assembly members from the National Awakening Party faction have also decided not to stay in the Mulia Hotel," faction chairperson Kofifah Indar Parawansa was quoted by Antara as saying.

She said staying at the hotel, which is only about 300 meters away from the Assembly building, would not necessarily ensure legislators arrived on time at meetings.

"The vicinity of the hotel and the Assembly building does not guarantee the discipline of the legislators," she said.

Siregar said he hoped lawmakers who decided not to stay at the hotel would provide the Assembly secretariat with signed statements.

The statements would help the Assembly secretariat to discuss the issue with hotel management, he said.