Markus Junianto Sihaloho – As the House of Representatives faces a volley lawsuits over its plans to build an office tower, some lawmakers have launched a petition to scrap the project.

National Mandate Party (PAN) lawmaker Teguh Juwarno, one of initiators of the petition, said in a news conference on Monday that the Rp 1.13 trillion ($150 million) project was too costly as well as unnecessary.

"We urge the House leadership to stop this plan," he said, adding that the legislature needed to improve its performance rather than build new offices.

The petition was backed by Budiman Sudjatmiko, from the opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and Democratic Party lawmaker Roy Suryo.

Edi Prabowo, House chairman of the Great Indonesian Movement Party (Gerindra), and the National Awakening Party's (PKB) Malik Haramain were also among the first to sign.

Though the Democratic Party has endorsed the building project, Roy said at Monday's press conference that he would seek to turn the tide. "I will try to tell them one by one to follow me in this step," he said.

However, Golkar Party lawmaker Tantowi Yahya said the legislature's strategic plan for 2009 to 2014 – passed just months ago – should be revised before the project was aborted.

Representatives from all House parties are set to meet today with the legislature's leadership, headed by Speaker Marzuki Alie, a Democrat, to discuss if such a revision is needed.

Marzuki, chairman of the committee that approved the plan, has defended the project and remained undaunted in the face of lawsuits and criticism. "I have several times gone to court, so it's not new to me. I am ready and will face it," he said.

On Monday, concerned citizens Arif Puyono and Adi Partogi Simbolon lodged a complaint against the House before the Central Jakarta District Court. The Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra) has also threatened to file a civil lawsuit if lawmakers do not scrap the plan by next week.