Members of the House of Representatives should use their conscience by prioritizing the people`s interest. If the people reject the plan to construct a new parliament building, they must listen
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The director of the Center for Indonesian Reform (CIR), Sapto Waluyo, said the planned new parliament building will only spoil the lawmakers.

"The House of Representatives (DPR) members only recently had their official residences renovated at a total cost of around Rp445 billion. How come they now want to have a new building with a budget amounting to Rp1.3 trillion. It`s like spoiling and serving one`s self," Sapto said in a short text message sent to ANTARA, Friday.

In Indonesia currently, there are around 2.3 million people living in make-shift shelters like the ones along river banks, railroads, and other slum areas, he said.

"Members of the House of Representatives should use their conscience by prioritizing the people`s interest. If the people reject the plan to construct a new parliament building, they must listen," he said.

Not only the people, several DPR`s political party factions such as PAN, Garinda, PDIP, Hanura and PKS have also expressed their objections previously.

In a consultative meeting held on Thursday, the DPR decided to go ahead with the plan to construct a new tower despite objections by some factions.

"The DPR leaders stick to the decision taken in the consultative meeting on October 19, 2010, when all factions have given their approvals," House Speaker Marzuki Alie said after chairing the DPR leadership consultative meeting at the Parliament Building here, Thursday (April 7).

In the Thursday meeting, PAN and Gerindra rejected the decision to go ahead with the new building construction plan.

The House of Representatives (DPR) is going into a recess as of April 9 amidst controversy on the new parliament building project.

House Speaker Marzuki Alie officially closed the 3rd Parliament`s Sitting for the year 2010-2011 in a plenary meeting at the Parliament building here, Friday.

Until the end of the Parliament`s Sitting, factions at the Parliament have some disagreements regarding the plan to construct a 36-story new parliament building.(*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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