Reasons For The DPR Asking For 80 Business Seats For Hajj Supervisors: If Garuda Is Not There, It's Time To Ride A Boat

Secretary General (Sekjen) of the DPR Indra Iskandar (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Secretary General (Secretary General) of the DPR, Indra Iskandar, revealed that his institution's request to Garuda Indonesia to provide 80 business class seats was aimed at supervisory duties.

"The ticket is for the House of Representatives' Hajj supervisory team to the Holy Land of Mecca, in order to carry out surveillance duties it is not free, but is paid in full by the Secretariat of the Indonesian House of Representatives," said Indra in Jakarta, Thursday.

His statement was made as a clarification on a number of reports that seemed to accuse the DPR of asking for a "tent" of seats to go to the Holy Land, in order to perform the pilgrimage.

Indra explained that in carrying out the task of supervising the hajj, the DPR RI formed two teams, namely the Hajj Preparation Supervision Team and the Hajj Implementation Supervision Team.

Therefore, according to him, to accommodate a team consisting of members of the DPR and a support team from the Secretariat General of the DPR RI, 80 business class seats are needed.

"Because until 3 days ago, we have not received a definite picture from our travel agency, so I called the President Director of Garuda, asking for help so that the needs could be provided. Of course, the payment is not free, because this is for the benefit of the state's duties in the context of supervising the DPR whose budget has been provided," he said.

He asked the public not to misunderstand because the 80 business class seats were not in the context of asking for the personal interests of members of the DPR. According to him, the DPR ordered the ticket for the departure of the Hajj supervisory team from the DPR.

"So don't get me wrong, because this is not the context of begging for personal gain. But we ordered tickets for the departure of the Hajj supervisory team from the DPR," he said.

In addition, Indra explained that in terms of providing flight facilities for the DPR's Hajj supervisory team, Garuda Indonesia airlines are the main choice, compared to foreign airlines.

According to him, this is because Garuda Indonesia is a State-Owned Enterprise (BUMN) so that when the DPR uses the services of the company, it will certainly provide income for the state.

"If we all want Garuda Indonesia, the spirit is red and white. Compared to if we use foreign airlines, the money will be for other countries," he said.

Indra emphasized that the DPR would look for alternative foreign airlines if Garuda Indonesia could not prepare 80 seats. However, according to him, the DPR still wants Garuda Indonesia to be the main choice.

"The alternative we have to come from foreign flights. If Garuda Indonesia doesn't have a'seat', what do you want? By boat?" he said.

Previously, the President Director of Garuda Indonesia, Irfan Setiaputra, revealed that the DPR asked to prepare 80 business class seats for DPR members to go for Hajj to the Holy Land.

This was conveyed by him while attending a hearing with Commission VI of the DPR at the DPR Building, Senayan, Jakarta, last Tuesday.

Irfan said the request was submitted by the Secretary General of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Indra Iskandar.

However, Irfan said Garuda Indonesia could not confirm the additional aircraft for the benefit of the DPR, because it needed permission from the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) Saudi Arabia.