Welcome Guest   |  Login   |   Signup
JG Logo
Fri, February 10, 2012
Archive Search

Representatives' Plan for New Building Put on Ice
Armando Siahaan | September 07, 2010

The proposed new building, left, as pictured in a scale drawing. The proposed new building, left, as pictured in a scale drawing.
Share This Page
22
0
0
1
Share with google+ :


Post a comment
Please login to post comment

Comments

south
6:25am Sep 7, 2010

Imagine how much money Indonesia would make and save by getting rid of legislators altogether!

  • Previous
  • 1
  • Next

Jakarta. Finally buckling under the steady stream of public criticism, the House of Representatives on Monday announced it would postpone building its new Rp 1.6 trillion ($180 million) office tower to allow for a review of the plan and to revise its costs.

The high price tag and reports of the luxury amenities had prompted intense scrutiny and opposition from the public, watchdogs and, later, even lawmakers themselves.

The plan outlined a new 36-story building that would provide spacious 120-square-meter office suites for each lawmaker. The architect overseeing the design said the plan also included recreational facilities, such as a swimming pool, spa and gym.

“We ask that the new building project be reviewed,” House Speaker Marzuki Alie, from the Democratic Party, said after a meeting to discuss the plan. “It should not reflect a luxurious building, one that would offend the people of Indonesia.”

Monday’s meeting was attended by the House leadership and those involved in the project, including the legislature’s Household Affairs Committee (BURT) and the technical team leading the project, composed of representatives from the House Secretariat General and the Ministry of Public Works.

Marzuki said no one at the House had ever wanted a plush new office, let alone the added amenities of a swimming pool and spa.

“We only asked for a new place where lawmakers and their staffers could be accommodated in an effort to strengthen the House’s performance,” he said.

Once the review had taken place, Marzuki said, the technical team would be charged with explaining the process to the public, “professionally, transparently and accountably.”

The BURT had said the project was being tendered and cornerstone was expected to be laid in October, but Mardian Umar, who heads the House’s technical team, said it would now be postponed for the review.

According to the technical team, Rp 1.16 trillion of the total estimated cost of the project would go toward construction and consultancy fees, while the remainder would be set aside for other considerations, such as the security system, IT equipment and furnishings.

The Rp 1.6 trillion price tag was also only the recommended estimate, and a lower price might be agreed to during the tender process, Mardian said.

The House budget committee had allocated Rp 250 billion from this year’s state budget for the first stage of construction.

Mardian denied reports the new building was to include amenities such as swimming pool and spa. The project’s chief designer, Budi Sukada, said that although the building would have social facilities, “we haven’t agreed to the details of what that might entail.”

Mardian said the review would take into consideration input from the public, media and members of the House, but could not say when the evaluation would be completed.

While acknowledging that the project had tarnished the House’s public image, Marzuki also took the opportunity to pass the blame to the technical team.

“They’re the ones who designed and made the calculations for the project. It’s not the responsibility of lawmakers,” he said. “You can’t blame everything on the House.”