Despite a Home Ministry warning on overseas junkets, newly-installed Riau Islands Governor Muhammad Sani will soon lead a 20-person fact-finding mission to Norway.
Riau Islands provincial spokesman Irmansyah told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that Sani, four regents and mayors and several businessmen would depart for Norway at the end of September to conduct a comparative study of the countries’ marine and fisheries sectors.
Norway is a good reference for Riau Islands, especially in developing marine resources, he said.
“The comparative study is aimed at enhancing knowledge and is not an overseas tour,” said Irmansyah, adding that the trip would be funded by the provincial budget, which was currently under debate in the
legislature.
Irmansyah said the home minister had previously issued a decree “limiting” but “not preventing” provincial heads and legislators from making overseas visits on the state’s tab.
“The home minister has only restricted overseas trips, but not banned them. We have submitted a request to the home minister to be forwarded to the President so that we are allowed to conduct the comparative study,” Irmansyah said.
The entourage will be comprised of more than 20 people, including the governor, four regents and mayors, agency heads, representatives and businessmen, with expenses estimated at more than Rp 1 billion (US$110,000), he added.
Batam municipal councilor Yudi Kurnain said the governor should cancel the inappropriate overseas trip.
“It would be better to conduct a comparative study within the country. Many other requests need priority compared to the comparative study. We want the trip to be banned,” said Yudi.
Tain Komari, head of the NGO Anti-86 Forum, said issues pertaining to overseas matters were under the authority of the central government, so provinces are prohibited from having direct relationships with foreign countries, especially for comparative studies, whose benchmarks of success has previously been questioned.
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