Money makes the wheels go round.
The Indonesian government was recently seen asking in Copenhagen for more money from foreign governments and companies to save the forests this very same government sells for logging to the highest bidder. Amazingly, foreign governments and especially the EU bureaucrats who you sometimes wonder if they could find Kalimantan on a map of Indonesia, more often than not are only too pleased to oblige with increasing amounts of its taxpayers money. It's easy give away other people's money.
Now we discover, whilst the President was pleading for more money in Copenhagen, he had already approved (see KPK Leaders Turn Down Offer of Expensive New Cars From Govt Budget) 150 of his officials should each be given a car valued at a whopping $137,800 each. Thankfully, the KPK has maintained its moral as well as financial high ground and declined such outrageously expensive cars. It's just a shame others have not followed their example.
Compounding this financial excess is the carefree attitude of the British, Australian and American governments amongst others, not forgetting the EC/EU (the biggest money wasters) who lavish ever increasing amounts of their taxpayers money on Indonesia. At the rate this money is flowing it would not be difficult to imagine a time when each official will have his own helicopter, subsidised no doubt by the EU but probably made in China.
Bring on the REDD money and anything will be possible, other than protecting rainforests or indigenous tribes, which, of course, until recently stood rather inconveniently in the way of making some easy money - until, that is, REDD opened the door to previously unimaginable riches even by government standards.
Sean Whyte
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
December 30, 2009 The Jakarta Globe
KPK Leaders Turn Down Offer of Expensive New Cars From Govt Budget
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) leaders said they will not accept new cars valued at up to Rp 1.3 billion ($137,800) each that have been provided for state officials because they are “too expensive.”
The commission’s deputy chairman Haryono Umar said that he will keep using his old car. State secretary Sudi Silalahi said on Tuesday that the purchase of the cars had been approved by the House of Representatives as part of the 2010 budget.
“Even though (the cars) are part of the state budget the KPK leaders will not take them,” Haryono said at KPK office on Tuesday evening. Haryono suggested state officials should use Indonesian-made cars such as the Toyota Innova.
Presidential spokesman Julian Adrian Pasha refused to comment on the KPK’s decision to turn down the cars.
“I can’t say anything about it. Ask the state secretary,” Julian said.
On Monday, 150 state officials received a new Toyota Crown Royal Saloon. The state officials included ministers and parliament leaders.
-a.jpg)
