DPR's Recess Fund Swells To Rp702 Million, Dasco Reveals The Reason

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Sufmi Dasco Ahmad (Nailin/VOI)

JAKARTA - Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, emphasized that additional indexes and points of location for electoral districts (dapil) for council members are proposals from the Secretariat General (Setjen) of the DPR, not from members of the DPR themselves. The addition has an impact on increasing the recess funds of DPR members to Rp 702 million per member during this year's recess.

"The one who proposed adding an index and a point is not a member of the DPR, but a secretary general," Dasco said in his statement, Monday, October 13.

Dasco denied that this was a form of increase in recess funds proposed by members of the council. According to him, the amount of the recess funds is adjusted to the addition of the number of electoral points and changes in the price index which were different from the previous period.

Dasco denied that this was a form of increase in recess funds proposed by members of the council. According to him, the amount of the recess funds is adjusted to the addition of the number of electoral points and changes in the price index which were different from the previous period.

"In 2019-2024, the point is less and the index is also smaller. Now it is adjusted to the prices and the number of points, so it becomes Rp. 702 million, from Rp. 400 million," he explained.

He added that the recess activity aims to absorb the aspirations of the people in their respective electoral districts and is part of the DPR's supervisory function.

"This recess is not every month, this recess activity is once a few months. That's only four or five times a year, depending on the tight agenda," said Dasco.

Previously, news about the amount of recess funds which reached Rp. 702 million per member of the DPR had drawn public attention. However, the DPR emphasized that the increase was mainly due to technical and administrative factors, not political policies of council members.