Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – In the wake of increasing protest from the public, the House of Representatives decided Tuesday not to buy laptop computers for its 550 legislators. The House will instead use the money for other spending schemes aimed at improving its performance.

"The House's decision was made in response to strong public reaction and internal opposition. It is also part of the House's commitment to the efficient use of the state budget," Speaker Agung Laksono said after a meeting with leaders of the House factions and the House internal affairs committee here Tuesday.

The plan had drawn strong criticism from community organizations and political analysts who questioned whether laptops would really improve the House's performance. They said many legislators who held university degrees already had their own laptops, while others would not know how to use the sophisticated machines.

Besides the laptops, telematics expert Roy Suryo has also called on the House to drop its plan to buy a Rp 850 million (US$93,289) wire-tapping equipment and a large, Rp 300 million scanner. The laptop procurement project, with its price tag of Rp 12.1 billion, has been a focus of local news coverage ever since the House secretariat general offered the project in a tender.

As more and more lawmakers expressed opposition to the purchase, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) on Monday barred its 109 House legislators from accepting the laptops.

House Secretary-General Faisal Djamal, who also attended the House leadership meeting, said the secretariat general would consult with all factions and the internal affairs committee on how to spend the laptop money.

"The funds have been allocated in the House's 2007 budget. We will discuss further what to do with the funds in order to improve the House's performance," he said.

Faisal said the secretariat general would immediately recruit a number of expert staff to help support the legislators in performing their jobs.