Behind the Glitz of the 2010 Budget
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j.
“
A
spiration funds”
would tend to perpetuate the status quo:
In the lead up to general elections ―aspiration funds‖ would clearly be an effective form of pork barreling to gain
support from would-be voters. That situation would occasion unhealthy political rivalry among participants in elections. It would also favor incumbents and thus the maintenance of
the status quo.
3. DPR “Homes for Aspirations” Supposedly for Sounding out Popular Aspirations
DPR members are also piggybacking on popular aspirations to argue for the establishment of ―homes for aspirations‖
rumah aspirasi
to be used by MPs as bases for sounding out aspirations of their respective constituents
—at a cost of Rp 112 billion, or Rp 200 million per MP p.a. The establishment of such
―homes‖ would amount to paying twice for the same service, because MPs already receive funds and allowances for keeping in touch with constituents. Table 2 outlines
what the DPR receives for constituency work: Rp 57.15 billion for maintaining contact and meeting with constituents; Rp 173 billion for 6 working visits to constituencies in accordance
with standing orders, 4 DPR recess visits and other individual member visits; and Rp 14 million
paid monthly to each MP as a ―communications allowance‖. Thus, even without having ―homes‖ for people’s aspirations, MPs each receive Rp 579 million p.a. to enable them to remain
in contact and hold meetings with their constituents. Up to now expenditure of these funds including those provided during DPR recesses has not been well accounted for. Nor has there
been any clear account of the extent to which recesses have been used to sound out popular
aspirations. Another consideration here is that the suggested ―homes for aspirations‖ underscore weaknesses in current political party mechanisms. Plainly, the machinery of political parties is
unable to accommodate and articulate popular aspirations. Political parties come to life once every five years, in the lead up to general elections. But it is the proper role of political parties to
act as channels for popular aspirations
—and it is that role which should be more fully developed. The
rumah aspirasi
proposal smacks of being a form of recompense from MPs for services rendered by their support teams plus their colleagues and friends in their electorates. The same
sort of thinking is evident in the way MPs select their expert staff. They do not select professional experts but rather friends and political party colleagues. More broadly, the
rumah aspirasi
idea is actually against the law. Law No. 272009 on the MPR, DPR, DPD and DPRDs makes no provision for the DPR’s establishment of
rumah aspirasi
. By contrast, the same law specifically stipulates that the DPD the House of Regional Representatives should open local
offices in regions.
Table 2 Measures to Help the DPR to Stay in Touch with Popular Aspirations, 2010
No Measure
Total Value Rp millions
Comment 1
DPR regional offices 112 000 Rp 200 m per MP
2
Building close communication links with the people and taking
on board popular aspirations 57 150 - Speaker: Rp 10 mmonth
- DSpeaker: Rp 9 mmonth - MPs: Rp 8.5 mmonth
Working visits; working visits by individual MPs domestic
173 160 Standing Orders working visits 6 p.a.; working visits during
recesses 4 p.a.; individual MP working visits 1 p.a.
4
Official communications allowance
94 370 Based on DPR pay slips during 2009, Rp 12 m month
per MP Total,
excluding DPR ―homes for aspirations‖
324 680 Rp 579 mMPyear Total,
including DPR ―homes for 436 680 Rp 787 mMPyear
Behind the Glitz of the 2010 Budget
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aspirations‖
Remarks: Data
from DPR’s 2010 Budget Implementation Checklist DIPA processed by Seknas FITRA
4. Funding for Overseas Jaunts
