Dicky Christanto, Jakarta – An NGO is planning to file a judicial review regarding the 2010 Law on the 2011 State Budget, calling it unconstitutional for not allocating adequate funds for people's welfare.
The Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (FITRA) said the judicial review would be submitted in February or early March.
FITRA coordinator Ucok Sky Khadafi said this year's health budget of Rp 13.6 trillion (US$1.5 billion) was merely 0.5 percent of the 2011 state budget, less than the 5 percent mandated by law.
"The health budget violates Article 171 of the 2009 Law on Health, which mandates the government allocate 5 percent of the state budget for health expenditures, excluding salaries [for civil servants in the health sector]," Ucok said Sunday.
Yuna Farhan, another FITRA activist, said this year's health budget had decreased by Rp 6 trillion compared to 2010. The government was focused on providing healthcare to either the poor or the rich, but not the middle class, Ucok said.
"In order to get free health services, one needs to get clearance from local authorities, explaining that he or she is too poor to pay for health services," Ucok said. "On the other hand, there are premium health services that only the rich can afford."
As a consequence, the middle class is left in a difficult situation, not poor enough to get free healthcare but still far from being able to pay for premium health services, he said. "This is just unfair," he said.
Ucok said the 2011 state budget had another flaw, as it allotted Rp 7.7 trillion in "unclear" infrastructure adjustment funds under regional and central government balances.
Besides filing a judicial review, FITRA also intends to bring the controversial House of Representatives building construction plans to the Constitutional Court. Ucok said legislators had ignored the 1945 Constitution, which ordered them to pay serious attention to people's aspirations.
"It is obvious that the people don't like the idea of spending Rp 1.3 trillion just to construct a new building for legislators. If these legislators insist on the building then they are certainly not abiding by the country's Constitution," he said.
FITRA has repeatedly criticized the government and other state institutions.
Last week, for example, Yuna said the government lacked sensitivity because the 2011 state budget's civil servant expenditures were Rp 18.1 trillion while trip expenditures were Rp 4.9 trillion. Another Rp 9.6 trillion was allocated to pay the government's loan interest, Yuna said.