Public role in budget review hailed
Public role in budget review hailed
JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso asserted on Wednesday that the
public would have the opportunity to participate in revising the
2001 city budget in July.
"We cannot revoke the approved city budget, but we can
accommodate criticism and suggestions for future improvements.
So, I call on the community to believe in our goodwill," said
Sutiyoso.
He was responding to activists from a coalition of non-
governmental organizations for budget transparency, who met with
city officials on Tuesday to express their disappointment with
the amount of funds budgeted for development programs.
Also present at the meeting was Deputy Governor for Economic
Affairs Fauzie Alvi Yasin.
During the meeting, attended by at least 50 people, the city
administration and representatives of the coalition agreed to
hold a follow-up discussion next week.
"It shows our goodwill and desire to accommodate public
aspirations in the policy-making process," said Fauzie.
He said the final decision on the 2001 city budget amendment
was in the hands of the factions in the City Council.
The head of City Council Commission C for economic affairs,
Amarullah Asbah, also said revising the city budget was the
jurisdiction of each of the factions in the City Council.
"Politically, the 2001 city budget is a legal product of the
factions. So any changes to the budget must be taken before a
plenary session of the City Council," said Amarullah.
The activists demanded that the city administration and the
City Council revoke the 2001 city budget.
The City Council approved the Rp 7.49 trillion (about
US$778.42 million) 2001 budget on Dec. 31, with Rp 4.98 trillion
allocated for routine expenditures and Rp 2.51 trillion for
development programs.
The activists, including representatives from Public Service
Care, suggested the city administration allot a larger amount of
funds for development programs than routine expenditures.
"It does not make sense. We found double the budget allocation
(for routine expenditures), which are being funded by several
financial sources," said Zoemrotin of the Indonesian Consumers
Foundation.
Zoemrotin also said the city budget was not accessible to the
public, given its difficult terminology.
The activists threatened to call for public action by asking
people not to pay increased taxes and levies, and said they were
considering filing a lawsuit against the city administration and
the City Council. (07)