Rizal Harahap, Pekanbaru – Five legislators in Riau province have come under fire for attending a seminar in Egypt organized by Indonesian students there.
The seven-day trip, running from May 22 until May 29, has cost the province Rp 250 million (US$28,000). Critics say it comes at a time when many in the country are facing hardship due to rising food prices and the impending fuel price hike.
The group is led by legislature deputy speaker Syofyan Hamzah and includes Syafrizal D from the United Development Party (PPP), Syaiful Anwar from the Golkar Party, Rizal Akbar from the New Alliance Party (PPIB) and James Pasaribu from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
Ali Yusri, dean of Riau University's School of Social and Political Sciences, said by making the trip, the people's representatives were showing a blatant disregard for the problems facing their constituents, especially since they were invited by only a group of Riau students.
"This is wasteful, whatever the reasons are. They shouldn't have gone on the trip," Ali told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
"Besides, the moment is not right since the seminar has absolutely no relevance to their duties as legislators. The trip will not contribute anything to the people who are now left confused in the current situation."
He said the money spent on the trip would have been better used to devise much-needed policies, such as issuing a policy to protect indigenous tribes or an ordinance requiring companies operating in Riau to prioritize the local workforce when recruiting.
"Such policies are far more pressing. The legislators should have taken into consideration the actual needs of the people," he said.
However, Djuharman Arifin, another legislature deputy speaker, said the trip should not be questioned because it had been authorized by the speaker and the Home Ministry. He said the trip was a worthwhile exercise to "enrich the perspectives" of the councilors.
"People shouldn't link the trip to Egypt with the increase in fuel prices because the trip was planned long before this. Given the chance, I would also accept an invitation from overseas because there are many things we can learn from such trips," he said.
His comments were in complete contrast to comments he made last October on a proposed overseas trip for 55 councilors. At that time, he voiced vehement opposition to the comparative study visit.
Riau legislative secretary Nazief Soesila Dharma said funds for such trips had been allocated in the 2008 provincial budget, and were granted in the guise of capacity enhancement services for the Riau legislature, with a maximum amount of Rp 3 billion.
"In accordance with Home Ministry decree No. 21/2007, the overseas visit by the councilors is legitimate as long as there is a request or invitation from the assigned country. They were invited to visit Egypt, and in the near future a number of councilors will also take up an invitation to visit Warsaw," he said.
Nazief denied accusations the trip to Egypt was a waste of taxpayer money. "They will not use all the money themselves. They agreed to allocate Rp 20 million for the Riau students' library in Cairo," he said.