Indonesian govt to evaluate funding for parties

Indonesias Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said, the governments funding for political parties which has been raised to Rp1,000 per valid vote, would be evaluated annually, to study its effectiveness.

"Every year it will be evaluated, whether it will be raised or not. We should bear in mind, this is just a support. Not binding, this is the governments participation," Tjahjo said here, Monday.

The government has raised funding for political party from Rp108 to Rp1,000 per valid vote.

The minister stressed that the fund is a form of mutual benefit between the government and political parties.

The funding is aimed at strengthening parties internal consolidation. "This would need a huge fund, and with Rp1,000 per vote they (parties) would get less than Rp13 billion."

In 2009, the governments funding has already reached Rp1,000 per vote but it was then declined to Rp108 per vote.

"Under Sri Mulyani as Finance Minister, the economic growth has improved, stable, and we can return the funding from Rp108 to Rp1,000. We have discussed this with the House budget committee," Tjahjo added.

Earlier on Sunday, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said that the ministry has set the funding for political parties at Rp1,000 per valid vote, increasing from its previous funding of Rp108 per vote.

"The Finance Minister in her letter to the Home Minister has set the funding for political parties that would be evaluated annually at Rp1,000 per valid vote," Sri Mulyani said on Sunday.

She said, the funding would be allocated from the state budget and despite its sharp increase, the amount is still lower than the ideal funding of Rp1,071 per vote according to a study by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

Sri elaborated that the funding for political parties should be followed by a revision on government regulation no. 5/2009 on financial support to political party and the law on political party.

The revision should also cover some indicators, including improvement in recruitment, politicians ethics, and implementation of political education to the public.

Source: ANTARA