Anita Rachman, Jakarta – The House of Representatives' insistence on building a controversial new office tower is an "evil conspiracy" that no amount of public indignation can derail, watchdogs said on Wednesday.

In a joint letter to the House leaders, six nongovernmental organizations, including the Indonesian Civic Network (LIMA), the Concerned Citizens for the Indonesian Legislature (Formappi), Indonesian Budget Center and the Indonesian Voters Committee (Tepi), raised their objections to Rp 1.3 trillion ($143.6 million) project.

The letter highlighted the widespread opposition to the plan from the public and some parties at the House, and suggested that the money would be better spent on pressing issues such as education and health care.

The fact that the House has not abandoned the project in the face of this opposition, said Tepi chairman Jeirry Sumampouw, indicates "an evil conspiracy."

He said there were strong suspicions of a high-level conspiracy involving the House leaders and the companies linked to the project, but declined to elaborate.

"That's because this obstinacy to push ahead with the project is very strange and illogical," Jeirry said. "There have been objections from the people and from politicians, yet the House keeps flogging the plan. And it's doing that by chiseling down the estimated cost so that people will accept it. That's strange."

The controversy began last year when the House proposed a new office building for legislators, slated to cost Rp 1.8 trillion. It later revised that figure down to Rp 1.3 trillion, while House Speaker Marzuki Alie said this month that the cost could go below Rp 1 trillion.

Marzuki had also claimed the project received unanimous support from all parties, although the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) and the People's Conscience Party (Hanura) have both filed formal objections to the plan. Jeirry said Marzuki's refusal to scrap the project raised suspicions that backroom deals may have been done before construction of the building had even begun.

The Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra), a budget watchdog, previously alleged that legislators had been promised kickbacks from a coal-mining magnate vying for a contract in the project. "I'm sure they've received some financial benefits," Jeirry said.

Sebastian Salang, from Formappi, said the fact that the House could slash the estimated budget so significantly was suspicious. "Who's playing with the figures and who stands to benefit?" he said.

However, Refrizal, a deputy chairman of the House's Household Affairs Committee (BURT), which is in charge of the project, denied that legislators had received kickbacks to push the project through. He added there was no conspiracy and welcomed the public and antigraft watchdogs to monitor the project.