Rp 6.4b set aside for VIP guests

SURABAYA: The East Java provincial administration has proposed an allocation of Rp 6.4 billion in the 2003 provincial budget to entertain the governor's guests, a 40 percent increase from the current fiscal year.

Local councillor Wahyuddin Husain of the National Awakening Party questioned the use of the fund, saying it was a waste of taxpayers money.

Wahyuddin said he was surprised by the hike and was disappointed with the fact that the governor failed to provide a breakdown of the expenditure.

He added the way the governor had proposed the spending was prone to manipulation.

Fellow councillor Supomo of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle shared Wahyuddin's view, saying the proposal was unrealistic and was not in keeping with the current crisis.

Governor Imam Utomo refused to comment on the councillors' resistance, saying he had assigned the head of the general affairs bureau at the provincial administration to explain the reasons behind the increase.

The administration has proposed a Rp 2.7 trillion budget for next year. The provincial legislature will have a month to deliberate the draft. -- JP