Dicky Christanto, Jakarta – A group of 17 lawmakers are set to fly to the Middle East this month in attempt to help Palestine gain independence, but critics have blasted the trip as a waste of time and money.
Ahmad Muzani, a lawmaker from the Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday, the House of Representatives had planned the visit months ago and was not a response to the recent Israeli attack of a ship carrying aid to Gaza.
The lawmakers, from the House's commission on foreign affairs, are slated to depart on June 17. They will visit Jordan, Egypt and Palestine before returning home on July 4.
Muzani claimed the visit was part of the House's monitoring function of the government's foreign policies, especially in relation to the Israel-Palestine conflict in which Indonesia is aiming to play a part in efforts to broker peace in the region.
Ahmad Basarah, another lawmaker from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said the visit reflected Indonesia's concern over the fate of the Palestinians.
"We are taking the initiative as ordered by the opening statement of our country's Constitution, which tells us to play an active role in supporting all countries to gain independence," he said.
Muzani said they would meet with the parliamentary members in the countries they visited, including Palestine.
"We want to encourage the divided factions in Palestine to unite to achieve independence," he said, adding they planned to meet with the Hamas faction in Gaza and Fatah in the West Bank.
While the lawmakers say the trip is justified, critics believe otherwise. Jaleswari Pramodhawardani, from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences said the trip was unnecessary.
"If they want to help the Palestinians, then by all means they could visit the Palestinian Embassy here. By going there, it will only spend more money on an unclear purpose."
Besides, she added, it would be better for lawmakers to start working on legislation instead of going to Palestine.
Coordinator of the Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra) Ucok Sky Khadafi, said he doubted the trip had been planned long before the Gaza incident early this month.
"There was no discussion on the plan to visit Palestine at the early budget meeting. The funds to finance this trip will likely be taken from the reserve funds worth Rp 24.3 billion," he said.
According to Fitra, this year alone, lawmakers are scheduled to visit 58 countries.
Neither Muzani and Ahmad is aware of the funds they will spend to finance their trip to the Middle East. "I still have no idea about the budget to this date," Ahmad said.
Harry Azhar Azis, head of the House of Representatives' budget agency, said he was not informed about the cost of the trip, but added that usually every legislator received $275 per day per person during visits abroad. He also said these lawmakers usually traveled business class.