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No budget allocation to construct apartments for lawmakers: Official
While a number of lawmakers have suggested providing apartments for them to live in, the Finance Ministry has stressed that no funds have been allocated for the construction of such apartments in the draft 2018 state budget.
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The annual state of the nation address takes place at the House of Representatives on Aug. 16. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
W
hile a number of lawmakers have suggested providing apartments for them to live in, the Finance Ministry has stressed that no funds have been allocated for the construction of such apartments in the draft 2018 state budget.
“There is no budget allocation [for apartment construction]. We never discussed it and there was also no proposal for it,” said the ministry’s budget director general, Askolani, as reported by kompas.com on Wednesday.
In the draft budget, presented by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to the House of Representatives on Thursday, the government proposed Rp 5.7 trillion (US$426.71 million) for the House, higher than the Rp 4.7 trillion in this year’s budget, but lower than Rp 7.2 trillion demanded by the House.
Read also: Eyebrows raised at House’s development projectsA number of lawmakers underlined the importance of apartment construction.
House deputy speaker Fahri Hamzah said such apartments would result in greater work efficiency owing to the close proximity of the proposed apartment construction area to the legislative complex.
Askolani said the funds allocated for the House were based on the government’s fiscal capability. “The amount [Rp 7.2 trillion] was proposed by the House, but the government’s position was at Rp 5.4 trillion,” he added.
However, he said the proposal to construct apartments for lawmakers could still be accommodated during deliberations of the draft budget between the government and lawmakers. (bbn)
