NTT budget ignites strong protests from local activist
NTT budget ignites strong protests from local activist
Yemris Fointuna and R.K. Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Kupang/Jayapura
A score of activists conferred Wednesday 55 coffins to the 55-
member of the East Nusa Tenggara provincial legislative council
in their protest of the legislature's 2002 budget totaling Rp 12
billion.
The protesters grouped in the Network Caring for People's
Money (Jalur) also threatened to call on the local people to pay
taxes and other obligations to the local administration unless
the budget was revised within 24 fours.
They said they were disappointed with the legislature for
having no a sense of crisis neither solidarity for a majority of
local people who have been living in a poor condition due to the
prolonged economic crisis.
"We will launch a massive campaign to call on local people not
pay taxes to the government unless the budget is revised within
24 fours (on Wednesday)," Yolanda who coordinated the
demonstration,said after the protesters put the empty coffins at
the legislature building.
The province's 2002 budget endorsed on Monday allocates 35
percent, or Rp 12 billion, of the province's total revenue of Rp
42 billion in the fiscal year. The remaining Rp 30 billion is
allocated for the government's routine spending and development
projects.
The legislature's budget was raised by around 33 percent from
the previous Rp 9.3 billion.
Controversial points in the legislature's spending that have
sparked sharp criticism from the activists were the Rp 1.32
billion representation allowance, Rp 825 million package funds,
Rp 500 million health care, Rp 100 million uniforms, Rp 2.9
billion official tour and Rp 4 billion operation costs, including
legislators' basic salary.
With all the allowances, the legislators receive each a total
of Rp 19 million per month or Rp 219 million per year.
According to Yolanda, the legislature's budget was too
bombastic and did not reflect the people's poor condition.
"The legislature which is said represent the local people is
unfair and has no solidarity with the people if they are paid
high while a major part of the people are living a poor
condition," he said, citing the annual per capita income in the
province was Rp 510,500.
Data at the local office of the Logistics Agency (Bulog), 80
percent, or 550,146 families, of the four million population in
the province have lived in the poor condition because of the
continued economic crisis.
Deputy Chairman of the legislative council Paul Detag, who
received the protesters, said the deliberation of the
legislature' budget was conducted in line with the official
procedure and the law.
"There is no manipulation in the budget and it was deliberated
with the provincial administration in accordance with the
official procedure and the law on regional autonomy," he said.
Of the province's budget totaling Rp 177 billion, Rp 135.2
billion came from the state budget in the form of general
allocation funds (DAU) to pay civil servants' salaries.
Johanis Kosapilawan, spokesman for the provincial
administration, admitted that the executive was not involved
during the deliberation of the legislature's draft budget for
unclear reasons.
"The provincial administration's team was asked to leave the
legislature when its budget commission deliberated the
legislature's draft budget," he said.
Meanwhile in Jayapura, the Indonesian democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction at the provincial legislative
council turned down the province's draft budget because of the
unclear implementation of the special autonomy in the restive
province.
Komaruddin, chairman of the PDI Perjuangan faction, said the
government was inconsistent since the draft budget was based on
the special autonomy while its implementation has yet to be
launched officially.
"Our faction needs not only money but, mainly, the
government's enforcement of the special autonomy law in the
province," he said.
He said that so far, none of the law has been implemented and
necessary regulations to enforce the law have yet to be issued.
Other factions have yet to issue their response to the draft
budget totaling Rp 1.9 trillion, Rp 1.6 trillion of which was
proposed from the special autonomy.
Yemris Fointuna and R.K. Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Kupang/Jayapura
A score of activists conferred Wednesday 55 coffins to the 55-
member of the East Nusa Tenggara provincial legislative council
in their protest of the legislature's 2002 budget totaling Rp 12
billion.
The protesters grouped in the Network Caring for People's
Money (Jalur) also threatened to call on the local people to pay
taxes and other obligations to the local administration unless
the budget was revised within 24 fours.
They said they were disappointed with the legislature for
having no a sense of crisis neither solidarity for a majority of
local people who have been living in a poor condition due to the
prolonged economic crisis.
"We will launch a massive campaign to call on local people not
pay taxes to the government unless the budget is revised within
24 fours (on Wednesday)," Yolanda who coordinated the
demonstration,said after the protesters put the empty coffins at
the legislature building.
The province's 2002 budget endorsed on Monday allocates 35
percent, or Rp 12 billion, of the province's total revenue of Rp
42 billion in the fiscal year. The remaining Rp 30 billion is
allocated for the government's routine spending and development
projects.
The legislature's budget was raised by around 33 percent from
the previous Rp 9.3 billion.
Controversial points in the legislature's spending that have
sparked sharp criticism from the activists were the Rp 1.32
billion representation allowance, Rp 825 million package funds,
Rp 500 million health care, Rp 100 million uniforms, Rp 2.9
billion official tour and Rp 4 billion operation costs, including
legislators' basic salary.
With all the allowances, the legislators receive each a total
of Rp 19 million per month or Rp 219 million per year.
According to Yolanda, the legislature's budget was too
bombastic and did not reflect the people's poor condition.
"The legislature which is said represent the local people is
unfair and has no solidarity with the people if they are paid
high while a major part of the people are living a poor
condition," he said, citing the annual per capita income in the
province was Rp 510,500.
Data at the local office of the Logistics Agency (Bulog), 80
percent, or 550,146 families, of the four million population in
the province have lived in the poor condition because of the
continued economic crisis.
Deputy Chairman of the legislative council Paul Detag, who
received the protesters, said the deliberation of the
legislature' budget was conducted in line with the official
procedure and the law.
"There is no manipulation in the budget and it was deliberated
with the provincial administration in accordance with the
official procedure and the law on regional autonomy," he said.
Of the province's budget totaling Rp 177 billion, Rp 135.2
billion came from the state budget in the form of general
allocation funds (DAU) to pay civil servants' salaries.
Johanis Kosapilawan, spokesman for the provincial
administration, admitted that the executive was not involved
during the deliberation of the legislature's draft budget for
unclear reasons.
"The provincial administration's team was asked to leave the
legislature when its budget commission deliberated the
legislature's draft budget," he said.
Meanwhile in Jayapura, the Indonesian democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction at the provincial legislative
council turned down the province's draft budget because of the
unclear implementation of the special autonomy in the restive
province.
Komaruddin, chairman of the PDI Perjuangan faction, said the
government was inconsistent since the draft budget was based on
the special autonomy while its implementation has yet to be
launched officially.
"Our faction needs not only money but, mainly, the
government's enforcement of the special autonomy law in the
province," he said.
He said that so far, none of the law has been implemented and
necessary regulations to enforce the law have yet to be issued.
Other factions have yet to issue their response to the draft
budget totaling Rp 1.9 trillion, Rp 1.6 trillion of which was
proposed from the special autonomy.