Lawmaker blames govt for delayed bill

JAKARTA: Deputy House of Representatives Speaker Priyo Budi Santoso blamed the government for another delay in deliberating a social insurers’ bill, known as BPJS.

He said on Monday that the government gave the impression they were not serious about addressing the bill. A key decision maker from the government had missed a meeting on Saturday night.

“I received information that deliberations faced another delay because one of the policy makers, the Finance Ministry secretary general, failed to show up for the meeting,” Priyo said as quoted by the House’s official website, dpr.go.id.

The government and the House disagreed on several principles in the bill. Priyo said the sides had until July 15 to iron out their kinks before the House could start deliberating on the bill. If they missed the deadline, he said, the BPJS bill would have to wait until the next period, which was 2014-2019.

The bill is a key to implementing the 2004 National Social Security Law.

“If it is not finished now, I blame the government because this bill has been delayed not because of serious debate but because of a government official who failed to attend the meeting and did not appoint someone who could make a decision [for him],” Priyo said. — JP