No comment on Rp 1b swimming pool

No comment on Rp 1b swimming pool

JAKARTA (JP): Bekasi regency officials are keeping quiet about the construction of a Rp 1.2 billion (around US$6m) swimming pool at the regent's official residence.

The head of the local development agency, who is believed to be involved in the project, has been playing hide and seek with reporters. One of his staff members told reporters on Thursday that he was attending a legislative council meeting.

The source of the lavish pool's funding remains a mystery, and many, including legislative council members, are questioning the local administration's commitment to social issues such as the eradication of poverty.

The head of the regency information office, Atang Sudjana, said earlier that the money was coming from the regency budget. Atang denied yesterday the rumored cost of the project, but would not reveal the regency's figures.

Chief of the United Development Party faction on the Bekasi legislative council, Aminulloh Muchtar, said he had no knowledge of the pool project, adding that the project was never proposed in the 1995 budget. "Wallahualam" (God only knows), he muttered when asked where the money was coming from.

The vice speaker of the Bekasi legislative council, Makmun Haspy, said that if true, the money would be better spent on developing poor villages. (12/sur)