Chatib said that the amount would exceed Rp 20 billion because of the inflation that has occurred since Presidential Decree No. 81/2004 was issued. He added that the housing budget defined in the decree was based on housing prices in 2004, as reported by kompas.com.

Previously, Yudhoyono signed a presidential regulation that would grant him unlimited access to state funds to pay for a private residence when he leaves the State Palace.

Two prior presidential regulations set a maximum of Rp 20 billion for the property, but the latest carries no such financial limit.

The Finance Ministry said it could not stick to the previous housing budgets set by the government because property rates have risen drastically.

"We cannot make a price-based regulation because property rates increase all the time, maybe 30 percent per year. So if we were to set a property price, we would have to revise the presidential decree each year, which is terribly inefficient," he said at the State Palace in Jakarta on Friday.

Instead, Chatib said that the ministry would refer to two ministerial housing complexes on Jl. Widya Chandra and Jl. Denpasar in Kuningan, Jakarta, to help establish the housing allowance budget.

After an amount has been set, Yudhoyono and Boediono would be able to build a house on location or somewhere else, he added.

Chatib said that the housing budget for President Yudhoyono and Vice President Boediono would be included in the 2014 state budget amendment.

The government would also bear the burden of paying property taxes as an act of gratitude for Yudhoyono and Boediono'€™s years of public service.

"Why shouldn't we show our appreciation? It'€™s only logical that if we provide a house, then all the taxes should be included," he said. (fss)

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