Jakarta – Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo has instructed all regional heads at every level, from governors, to mayors and regents, to conduct meetings in the meeting rooms at their offices.

He said this instruction was required because in many cases regional heads held meetings in hotels, which cost a lot and wasted the local budget.

He said this instruction was in line with President Joko Widodo's command, ordering all ministries to make serious efforts to save money.

"Funds that have previously been allocated to finance meetings in hotels can be used to improve public services," he said on Thursday, as quoted by tempo.co.

In addition, he said that if meetings had to be held in hotels, they should not be conducted in high-end ones. He claimed that he had implemented this regulation in his ministry.

Moreover, he banned officials from echelons I, II, and III in his ministry from requesting a VVIP security guard when travelling on official trips. This regulation was also imposed on regional heads. (alz/nfo)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/11/06/meetings-should-be-conducted-offices-minister.html