awmakers have urged regional leaders to tighten spending and exercise greater restraint in public office, following protests in East Kalimantan’s capital Samarinda over lavish government expenditures that have drawn criticism amid economic hardship.
The demonstration, held under the “East Kalimantan People’s Alliance” banner on Tuesday, was triggered by public anger over East Kalimantan Governor Rudy Mas’ud’s alleged misuse of regional funds for what protesters called excessive spending, amid rising fuel prices linked to the ongoing United States-Israel war on Iran.
Public frustration centered on a reported Rp 8.5 billion (US$491,233) allocation for a new official vehicle and Rp 25 billion for renovations of the governor’s and deputy governor’s official residences, despite widespread infrastructure problems, including damaged roads across the province.
More than 4,000 students and residents joined the protest outside the governor’s office and the East Kalimantan regional representative council (DPRD) in Samarinda, demanding a full audit of provincial spending and urging the legislature to exercise its “right of inquiry” over regional policies.
Addressing the public grievances over the governor, Golkar lawmaker Sarmuji, who also chairs the party’s faction in the House of Representatives, said the party consistently reminds its members to be mindful of public hardship and to carry out their duties responsibly.
“We always urge all public officials from the Golkar Party, both in the executive and legislative branches, to be sensitive to the conditions of the people […] No matter how wealthy we are, once we become public officials, we must be able to adjust ourselves,” he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning.
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