Riau councillors to go ahead with their trips to Europe
Riau councillors to go ahead with their trips to Europe
Haidir Anwar Tanjung, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru
Despite a commitment not to use public funds for overseas trips
this fiscal year, 20 members of the Riau provincial legislature
have said they would go ahead with their plan to tour several
European countries, including Germany, England and the
Netherlands, this month.
Some Rp 1 billion from the province's 2002 budget has been
disbursed for the trip, with Rp 50 million to be set aside for
each of the councillors, an official said.
Riau Councillor deputy speaker Soeratno said on Saturday that
the trips would be conducted on the invitation of the Riau
Tourism Board.
"We released the funds because we were invited by the tourism
board. The funds are to be used for our educational trips," he
told The Jakarta Post.
Another group of councillors scheduled to leave for Moscow
this month will also use public funds, he said.
"The trip is not a waste of public funds because the
educational trips are designed to discuss tourism in developed
countries so that we can learn from them," legislative chairman
Chaidir said.
He also said that the councillors had planned the trip long
before the policy came into effect.
Councillor Abdul Murat agreed with Chaidir and said that the
expense the province had to bear was worth the effort.
"The educational trips will broaden our horizons and prepare
us for the upcoming free trade," he said.
Nevertheless, officials at the council building did not know
about their seniors' trip. "I didn't know they were going abroad.
I wonder why they didn't inform us about their trips this time.
Usually we know wherever they go," said an official there.
Analysts said that educational trips among councillors and
regional administrations was just a cover for them to have an
enjoyable time in foreign countries.
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a memorandum that
stipulated councillors and regional administration officials to
obtain permission from President Megawati Soekarnoputri before
embarking on an overseas trip.