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.