T

he State Palace and the House of Representatives have been bickering about an estimated Rp 1.6 trillion (US$115.2 million) construction project for new buildings at the Senayan legislative complex.

Although President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo had previously refused to support the House'€™s '€œseven mega projects'€, House leaders insisted on sticking to the plan to modernize the legislative building complex through the construction of a square to be named Alun-alun Democracy (Democracy Square); a new museum-cum-library; pathways for visitors to enter the House; a center for visitors to obtain information about the House; a center for legislative study; and improved rooms for lawmakers and their staff members.

Jokowi declined to formally sign an inscription to symbolize his support for the proposal during a ceremony at the People'€™s Consultative Assembly (MPR) to commemorate the country'€™s 70th anniversary on Aug. 14, a gesture that apparently failed to discourage House leaders who remain confident that the government will approve the proposal.

'€œIt is too soon to conclude that the government rejects the proposal,'€ House deputy speaker Taufik Kurniawan said on Thursday. '€œOur understanding is that the government required a feasibility study on the construction project, which we agreed to do. So, requiring a feasibility study does not necessarily mean rejection.'€

Although the government has yet to give its final say on the proposal, the House'€™s secretariat has organized a competition to encourage architects to contribute their designs. The competition has so far attracted 10 architects to compete for a total of Rp 500 million in prizes.

Lawmakers have expressed different opinions about the plan, with those from political parties within the ruling coalition backing the government, against those from opposition parties, although the majority have complained about the poor working environment, including overcrowding.

Former House speaker Marzuki Alie of the Democratic Party had floated the idea to construct a new legislative building worth Rp 1.16 trillion during his leadership in 2011. The plan hit a wall due to public criticism over lawmakers'€™ poor legislative performance.

Regardless of the debate among lawmakers, the House'€™s Ways and Means Committee (BURT), which is in charge of the project, has pursued the process, which began in January this year, claiming to have obtained an official letter of support from Jokowi.

'€œEverything will go on. There is no need to fuss about it because it'€™s just the construction of another state building. It'€™s just the same as the construction of the KPK'€™s [Corruption Eradication Commission] building or the MA'€™s [Supreme Court] or the BPK'€™s [Supreme Audit Agency],'€ BURT chief Roem Kono said.

'€œPeople have overreacted about a plan that I think is ordinary,'€ the Golkar Party politician added.

Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung Wibowo, however, claimed to have no knowledge about Jokowi'€™s letter to the BURT.

Reiterating the government'€™s stance on the matter, the former lawmaker emphasized that Jokowi maintained his view that an assessment should be carried out first on whether the House'€™s seven-mega projects plan was feasible.

'€œHe [the President] instructed us to have the related ministers study the development plan of the House facilities. Because, after all, in this [economic] situation, our fiscal space does not allow too much flexibility for [carrying out] that [plan],'€ Pramono said.

According to Pramono, Jokowi also ordered the ministers to report any assessments to him and communicate should there be any updates regarding the House'€™s plan.