Special session funding approved

JAKARTA (JP): The government has approved the disbursement of some Rp 20 billion (about US$1.79 million) from the state budget to finance the special session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), following complaints from legislators of funding problems.

"The funding for the special session has been approved, the director general for state budget will follow up on it," Minister of Finance Rizal Ramli said on Thursday on the sidelines of a hearing with the House of Representatives' Commission IX, which oversees financial affairs.

Slated for Aug. 1, the special session will hear President Abdurrahman Wahid's accountability over two financial scandals and his erratic leadership.

But the absence of a budget had raised questions over the government's commitment to support the event.

Assembly Speaker Amien Rais has called on legislators to raise funds for the special session and slash expenses if the government failed to provide the funding.

Rizal, however, dismissed speculations that the government was reluctant to disburse the funds.

"Don't use conspiracy theories on me, let's act like adults," he said.

The government has also allocated Rp 21 billion from the state budget for the MPR annual session, the date of which remains uncertain.

On the disbursement of funds for political parties, Rizal said his office had drawn up a budget of Rp 1,000 for each voter.

"The total funds will amount to some Rp 105 billion," he said.

He explained the funds were allotted to cover the parties' basic operational activities, such as telephone and transportation expenses.

"This is an important part of developing democracy," Rizal said.

The bigger the party, the more financial support it receives, he said, adding that this policy did not discriminate against small parties.

This way, he said, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) deserved the lion's share of the Rp 105 billion.

Rizal said the allocation of state funds to support political parties had long been agreed to by the government and the House, "but had only been approved in the current fiscal year."

To obtain the fund, a party's chairperson or secretary must apply to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

After which, he said, the application would be forwarded to the finance ministry for disbursement.(bkm)