PDI donates session honorariums
JAKARTA (JP): The "I Love My Homeland" drive, initiated by People's Consultative Assembly member Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana who sold U.S. dollars for rupiah, returned to the spotlight yesterday after a period of inertia.
It was the faction of the minority Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) which gave new blood to the nationwide campaign to help the government alleviate the economic crisis. The party announced it was donating the honorariums, worth Rp 9.600.000 (US$1,120), that were to be given to its 16 legislators.
PDI spokesman Antonius Rahael did not explicitly refer to the Hardiyanti-led nationalistic drive when he announced the faction's intention before an Assembly plenary session yesterday.
"This prolonged economic crisis has become not only our common concern, but our neighboring countries' as well. We, therefore, have to fight together to survive the crisis," he said.
"We call on the other Assembly members to follow in our footsteps," he added.
The PDI faction, the smallest in the 1,000-member Assembly, also comprises Fatimah Ahmad, who is also Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Panangian Siregar, Idi Siswaya, Bambang Mintoko, Sujanto, Budi Hardjono, Markus Wauran, Sebastian Massardy Kaphat, Nicholaus Daryanto, JB Wiyanjono, Buttu R. Hutapea, who is PDI secretary-general, Ismunandar, Clara Sitompul, Soedaryanto and Yahya Theo.
All the members of the Assembly's quinquennial convention from March 1 to March 11 earn an honorarium of Rp 600,000. They also receive a daily allowance of Rp 60,000, plus luxurious accommodation and meals in hotels.
Rahael, who is also a House of Representative member, suggested that Assembly leaders organize the donation campaign.
"We all have to take part in the efforts to solve the crisis," he said.
Hardiyanti, the eldest daughter of President Soeharto, led a group of Assembly legislators to exchange some of their U.S. dollar savings into rupiah in January.
Other than selling U.S. dollars, many people have also donated jewelry to the state. (amd)