Students oppose councillors' planned overseas trip

Students oppose councillors' planned overseas trip

BANDUNG (JP): West Java students oppose the provincial
legislative council's plan for an overseas trip to Malaysia,
saying that the project was irrelevant to the current people's
economy.

"Comparative studies could be made at home by visiting other
provinces. While the people are struggling to survive the soaring
prices of commodities following the increase in fuel prices, the
legislators are going to waste the people's money," Akhmad Zaki
Yudin, the coordinator of the West Java Students Committee for
Parliament Watch (KMP2JB), said on Tuesday.

Akhmad was responding to the plan made by the Budget
Commission at the provincial legislature for 22 of its members to
leave for Johor, Malaysia for a comparative study on Oct. 24.

A commission member, who asked for anonymity, said the
legislators would learn from Johor its financial managerial
system and economy.

Deputy chairman of the commission Mahmoed D. said the plan had
been long studied. "Inputs from scholars and economists have been
taken into consideration before deciding to go to Johor. The plan
will likely be approved by all commission members."

They will be in Johor for five days.

The current commission chairman, Eka Santosa said he was not
well informed about the plan, saying that he was only appointed
chairman on Oct. 3, two months after the plan was decided.

Eka defended the plan, however, saying that each councilor had
the right to go abroad for comparative study as mentioned in the
legislature annual budget.

According to the annual budget, each legislator is entitled to
Rp 10 million for overseas travel within a fiscal year.

In September, members of Commission C went to Thailand for a
similar purpose. Syarif Bastaman, member of the commission, said
eight councilors left for Thailand on Sept. 16 and returned on
Oct. 21. "They visited agribusiness projects and an agricultural
seeding center in the village of Noonoch."

He also said that the West Java councilors had also 'learnt
about theater' after watching the famous Alcazar Show in Pattaya,
Thailand. "The West Java administration plans to convert the
Mayestik movie building on Jl. Braga, Bandung, into a play
house."

Just two weeks ago Commission A canceled its plan to go to
Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore. (25/sur)