New DPR building budget can still be cut by 20 percent, expert says

After being reduced to Rp 777 billion (US$90 million) from an initial Rp 1,136 trillion, the budget for the new House of Representative (DPR) building can still be trimmed down by another 20 percent, House Secretariat General Maintenance and Installation chief Sumirat said.

“Study results mandated that the budget be cut down to Rp 777 million. That figure can still be reduced by 20 percent,” Sumirat said Sunday, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

Sumirat explained that the figure of Rp 777 million is only an estimated amount and will surely be reduced when it comes to tendering the construction job.

The design of the new DPR building had initially boasted the image of an extravagant ‘U’ shaped design consisting of 36 floors with a budget of Rp 1,136 trillion.

Strong opposition against the plan, seen by the public as excessive, led to the a review of the building design by the Public Works Ministry, which recommended the building plan be re-designed and cut down to having just 26 floors. The budget was also cut to Rp 777 million.

Sumirat said that the Public Works Ministry had recommended that house members’ hall, initially designed to be 111 square-meters, be sized down to 108 square-meters. The 108-meter-squared space will be used as a 16 square-meter house members’ work room, a small meeting room, a guest room and a toilet.

“A reduction is only 3 meters, but if it is multiplied by 560 house members, then it is quite big. It will make for a more efficient budget,” Sumirat said.

Sumirat added that the House Secretariat General and the Public Works Ministry will soon meet to talk about the recommendations.