PPP rejects pork barrel proposal

The United Development Party (PPP) says it rejects the recent plan to channel Rp 8.4 trillion into the so-called "aspiration fund" to disburse to 560 House of Representatives legislators.

"There are five reasons for the PPP to reject the aspiration fund. First, it threatens Indonesian unity because it widens the development gap between Java Island and the other islands," PPP senior politician Lukman Hakim told reporters in Jakarta on Tuesday.

"Second, the fund reduces the development plan to just a partial one. Third, it undermines the House's function for monitoring and budgeting," he added.

"Fourth, the fund reduces budgeting political policies only to serve the interests of the electoral regions, not to serve justice and fairness. Fifth, the funds open up the possibility of collusion and manipulative practices among House legislators," he said further.

Separately, House Speaker Marzuki Alie from the Democratic Party said he objected if the funds were to be channeled directly in hard cash.

The Golkar Party previously claimed that all pro-government parties had agreed to disburse the funds, which will practically hand over Rp 15 billion into the pockets of each legislator.

However, other pro-government parties had rejected Golkar's claim and said a mutual agreement on the issue had yet to be reached.