PSI Refuses To Increase DPRD Budget, Golkar: They Give Up People, From The Beginning Agree

DKI Jakarta DPRD Building / VOI

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Golkar Faction DPRD DKI Jakarta, Basri Baco, said that since the beginning, the PSI Faction approved an increase in the DPRD's Annual Work Plan (RKT) budget in 2021. Recently there has been a refusal to seek sensation.

"In my opinion, PSI cheated the public. They actually agreed and participated in the discussion at the end of the drafting process, they actually turned to the public as if they refused to gain public sympathy," said Baco when contacted, Wednesday, December 2.

Baco said, the statement by the Chairman of the Jakarta PSI DPW, Michael Victor Sianipar, who asked his factions in the DPRD to reject the RKT was an unethical act. "Their information to the public is provicative for the sake of seeking a momentary sensation," he said.

In the draft APBD for DKI 2021, the RKT for each DPRD member reaches IDR 8,383,791,000. This budget includes salaries, allowances, visitation fees, technical assistance, recess, and socialization fees.

So, if this is multiplied by 106 members of the DPRD DKI from all factions, it takes a budget of Rp. 888,681,846,000 in one year.

This figure jumped dramatically compared to the 2020 DKI Regional Budget, which was only IDR 152,329,612,000 per year. One of the budget items that caused the RKT to skyrocket was the increase in salaries and allowances for DPRD members.

Baco explained that the nominal budget that skyrocketed was not only a salary, but an allowance that was in accordance with the provisions and had limitations. The DPRD wants to adjust the allowances to match the executive level.

"Those that have a lot of nominal value are board activities that directly interact with the community and the funds are managed by the DPRD Secretary, not members of the council. Socialization activities and work visits that we multiply in order to meet constituents and absorb aspirations," explained Baco.

Previously, the Chairperson of the DKI Jakarta Regional Leadership Council, the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI), Michael Victor Sianipar, asked all members of the DKI Jakarta DPRD from the PSI faction to reject the increase in the RKT for council members.

"We, from the DPW PSI, have decided to reject this budget. The economic situation is tough," said Michael, Monday, November 30.

He said that the discussion of the budget regarding the rights of council members had gone through an internal meeting between the PSI and the DPW, and had even been consulted with the DPP.

Decisions that have been taken by the party must be implemented by the PSI Jakarta faction and become the basis for the general views of the factions which have been conveyed at the Plenary Session.

"The party's instruction is to reject the increase in the council's working budget. If it is not implemented, there will be strict party disciplinary sanctions," he concluded.