The Golkar Party’s “pork barrel” spending proposal will likely prove far less beneficial to underdeveloped regions that produce few legislators, data shows.
Golkar has proposed that every legislator in the country be allocated Rp 15 billion from the 2011 state budget under the banner of “aspiration funds”, to develop their constituencies.
The proposal would allow legislators to disburse Rp 8.4 trillion (US$915.6 million) in state funds to develop their constituencies.
Golkar chairman and business tycoon Aburizal Bakrie, who also heads the ruling coalition’s joint secretariat, said the money would be used to develop disadvantaged regions.
However, more legislators are elected in developed regions, especially Java and Sumatra, than in undeveloped regions, according to data on the official website of the House of Representatives.
Less than 10 percent of the total 560 lawmakers at the House were elected by less developed regions, such as Papua and Maluku.
The data showed that 10 legislators were elected by the Papua constituency, three by West Papua, four by Maluku, three by North Maluku and 13 by East Nusa Tenggara.
In comparison, 91 were elected by the West Java constituency, 78 by Central Java, 87 by East Java and 21 by Jakarta.
Ibrahim Fahmy Badoh of the Indonesia Corruption Watch said there was a risk the money could be used to fund political campaigns. “It could be used to smooth business cronyism,” he said.
The term pork barrel spending, which derives from the US slavery era, suggests an intention to remunerate constituents of a politician in return for political backing.
Pork barrel spending is commonly practised in the United States by members of congress. Usually, the money is used to finance infrastructure projects, such as bridges, roads, schools or hospitals.
Golkar politician Harry Azhar Aziz, chairman of the House’s budget committee that exercises the state budget with the government, said some regions in Indonesia had introduced pork barrel spending.
The East Java administration provides Rp 1 billion to each member of the Provincial Legislative
Council (DPRD), and the Riau island administration provides Rp 500 million to each DPRD member and Rp 5 billion to the DPRD head, Harry said.
Although Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa, who is also chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), called the spending “unnecessary”, Harry insisted the House had its “budget right”, adding that legislators would defend the proposal. “This is the aspiration fund of constituents,” he said.
He said the House’s budget committee had agreed with the Finance Ministry to discuss the legal basis for the proposal, the mechanism and procedure for the spending disbursement, implementation oversights and benefits for regional development and the public.
“The government will be the executor to disburse the money, but the House will have the right to determine the allocation,” Harry said.
The ICW’s Fahmy said the government and the House should ensure the transparency of the disbursements.
Comments (2)
Ranca, Jakarta Tue, 08/06/2010 - 10:06am
With the latest news running about Golkar’s move to gain money from the “aspiration money”, we now question the legality of our politicians. The Indonesian people have truly been scrutinized from the start.
If we can remember, and as long as I can remember, Golkar has been playing the role of savior in our country. Saving the nation from communism in the 1965 putsch, saving the country from Suharto in 1998, and now saving the country from “Sri Mulyani and Century Gate”.
What these thugs in Golkar are doing is similar to the role bandit in a monkey suit or even a SWAT suit. When they showed up on TV, they look truly genuine, while in reality, there’s nothing good inside it.
We remember the saying in Qur’an, Al-Baqarah verse 11: “When it is said to them: “don’t do harm in the face of the earth”, then they replied: “oh, we are not the ones who are doing the damage. In fact, we are the ones doing the good deeds”.
This is exactly what the Golkar politicians are doing now. As Aburizal Bakrie (a.k.a. Megatron) deflects the Lapindo mud issue to a “national disaster”, and finished the role of Sri Mulyani who gets in the way of his tax problems, Golkar will now be moving to a position of the “Two-Face” in Batman serial.
The first face is “save the people”, and the second face is the “megatron” side who wants to rule everything. When we saw on TV saw the trial of Budiono and Sri Mulyani, we clapped our hands to the lawmakers “check-mate” question on why the bailout goes up to Rp 6,7 trillion, and we watched Budiono’s helpess look as the President leaves him by a hanging rope.
But then today, we see a bigger pothole on the budget, up to Rp 8,4 T, as the same lawmakers ask a budget of Rp 15 billion for their aspiration money. Aspiration my ass! You don’t need 15 billion rupiah just to elevate poverty from your area.
In what-ever the case, as usual, Indonesians will have to deal with a situation of “coming out of a tiger mouth, into the crocodile’s jaw”, as they have taught us in the comic book stories for children. Well, Hell, we are not the children you thought we are.
David K., Jakarta Mon, 07/06/2010 - 10:06am
Is this a thinly vieled request for campaigning funds from the Government to DPR members? Wouldn't the funds be better to be disbursed fairly (say more to underdeveloped areas for infrastructure construction and development) rather providing it to DPR members?
Unless of course the DPR members are willing to be transparent in the disbursement meaning 3rd party (legitmate companies, not your cousin's acct firm out of your garage) validates the project, and the actual costs not in just financial but also social value.
Source: TheJakartaPost
