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report on parking violations by Indonesian diplomats in New York has put a negative spin on the country’s permanent mission to the UN and the consulate general, prompting hasty remarks from politicians in Jakarta.

Indonesian Ambassador for the UN, Hasan Kleib, said the report on parking violations had been rehashed by local politicians every September.

He said parking violations had been an ongoing issue since the 1970s. He said that diplomats working at the UN were complaining about the lack of facilities, including lack of parking, and adapting to parking rules that had become more draconian.

The mission and the consulate are charged with failing to pay parking tickets worth a total of US$725,000 as of the end of July this year, making Indonesia the third-biggest debtor to the city after Egypt ($1.9 million) and Nigeria ($1 million).

Total unpaid tickets by all diplomats totaled $16.7 million. The amount may go up as more diplomats are attending the 66th UN General Assembly in the city.

New York is home to 289 foreign missions and consulates. The diplomats’ tickets were issued for safety violations, including blocking fire hydrants.

The UN Host Country Committee — including foreign diplomats, the US Federal Government and the New York administration — convenes time to time to discuss the matter.

In September 2002, the committee drafted a new program on parking, including building more parking space for diplomats. The committee also convened on Nov. 19, 2002, to discuss a possibility for a pardon for all violations made prior to the date.

“If we calculate the parking tickets from Nov. 19, 2002, until the end of July, we owe the administration $21,668.94,” Hasan said.

In Jakarta, House of Representatives deputy speaker Anis Matta of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) said the parking violation issue was an “embarrassment”.

Fellow deputy speaker, Pramono Anung of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said the tickets must be paid to “salvage” the nation’s image.