Proposal to MPR

Starting March 1, 1998, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), Indonesia's highest political body, will hold a General Session to set the State Policy Guidelines and elect a president and vice president for the 1998/2003 term.

For that purpose, all members (1,000 in all), will be accommodated in two or three four star and five star hotels in Jakarta for 15 days and nights. Each member will be allocated one room.

I (and I believe the majority of the people) do not know how much funding is provided for the accommodation. But I think a great deal of money will be spent for this purpose.

As the majority of the people are suffering badly from the impact of the monetary crisis (soaring prices of basic commodities, etc.), I think it would be wiser if the honorable members of the MPR did not spend a great deal of money for their accommodation.

I would like to give the following suggestions:

* Those members who live or own a house in Jakarta should stay in their respective homes.

* The members who do not own a house in Jakarta could be accommodated at Wisma Haji (in Pondok Gede), for the sake of efficiency, security and smoother coordination. This would show the public (their voters) and the world that MPR members are wise. And the money could be donated to the needy in the form of basic foodstuffs.

DJON W PRANOTO

Sukabumi, West Java