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espite gaining approval from the State Palace, the Home Affairs Ministry has dropped its plan to increase funding for political parties.

Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said on Saturday the government had decided to stop the deliberation process for the plan, which was first proposed by himself, aimed at discouraging political parties from resorting to graft when looking for funding for their activities.

'€œThe Home Ministry will not discuss the idea of increasing the funding rate for political parties with the finance minister and the House of Representatives Commission II [overseeing home affairs] anymore,'€ he said.

Tjahjo said there were a number of lawmakers who rejected the proposal, which sought to increase the allocation of state funds for each political party by between 10 and 20 percent and said that it was better for the state to provide more funding for vital organizations in the regions.

After the 2009 general election, the Home Ministry issued a regulation granting each party Rp 108 (lee than 1 US cent) in state funding per valid vote per year.

Under the current scheme, the state has allocated a total of Rp 13.17 billion (US$1.03 million) to finance the 10 political parties that secured positions in the legislative institution in last year'€™s election.

'€œThe Corruption Eradication Commission [KPK] is also against the idea. It'€™s better for the Home Ministry to focus on other things, like preparations for the upcoming concurrent regional elections or assisting the regions so that their development budgets can be used for better purposes,'€ Tjahjo said.

KPK commissioner Zulkarnaen previously said political parties should be able to cut their spending instead of asking for more funds from the government. '€œThe public will choose people who are credible, so there'€™s no need to be afraid [of not spending more]. Just be confident. Why spend lots of money that could lead to problems in the future?'€ he said on Friday.

Democratic Party lawmaker Khatibul Umam Wiranu, meanwhile, said the House was only concerned with the controversial constituency fund plan and could not be bothered with a new scheme for party funding.

'€œThe problem is the lack of accountability among political parties. If the government increases [party] funds, then who will be held accountable? But if it'€™s constituency funding, then the fund does not just stay at the House. It will be
channeled directly to regional governments,'€ he told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

Despite strong objections from three political party factions within the ruling coalition, the House passed a legislative bill that provided a legal basis for allowing lawmakers to make use of a total of Rp 11.2 trillion in so-called constituency funds at a recent plenary session. According to the proposal, all 560 legislators would be given Rp 20 billion each per year to develop their electoral districts nationwide.

State Secretary Pratikno hinted on Thursday that President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo would not give his approval to the constituency fund plan, citing the country'€™s current economic slowdown.

However, Tjahjo said on Wednesday the President had given his
approval for the proposal to increase state funding for parties, with the ministry having submitted a formal request on the matter to Jokowi.

With the government backing off from the proposal despite the State Palace'€™s approval, senior Golkar
politician Firman Soebagyo, who is also the deputy chairman of the House Legislation Body, said it showed the disorganized nature of the current government.

'€œGolkar is well aware that the country'€™s economic situation is getting worse these days. So why did the minister make the proposal [in the first place]? Is he not always sensitive to the state'€™s fiscal situation?'€ he said to the Post.

'€œBy dropping the proposal, it shows that the minister and the President are not well organized.'€