Government Urged to Revise Protocol Regulation
Wednesday, 10 January, 2007 | 15:13 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Corruption observers are urging that the government revise Government Regulation on The Position of Protocol and Finance of Chairmen and Members of Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD) Number 37/2006.

They will propose a summons and material testing within three days should the government ignore this pressure.

“The government has legalized corruption,” said Aswinawati, Head of the Legal Aid Society of Jakarta yesterday (01/09) in Jakarta.

In addition, Emerson Endu of Indonesian Corruption Watch said that the regulation would worsen corruption carried out by legislative officials in the regions.

Emerson also urged that all Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) members return the allowances that they have received.

Progo Nurdjaman, Secretary General of the Department of Home Affairs, said that the application of Governmental Regulation Number 37/2006 was in line with regional revenues.

“The DPRDs must be introspective so that they do not spend the revenues in their own interests,” he said after meeting with Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati at her office.

Two days ago, Minister Muhammad Ma'ruf insisted that the government will not revise the protocol regulation.

The government has established a team whose members are the representatives from the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Justice and Human Rights as well as the State Secretary.

“In terms of substance, the regulation will not be revised,” said Ma'ruf.

Eko Ari Wibowo