MPR CUTS ITS BUDGET BY RP59.7 BILLION

Jakarta, Jan 22 (ANTARA) - The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) has cut its 2009 budget by Rp59.7 billion or 22 percent from Rp268 billion to Rp208 billion, MPR chairman Hidayat Nurwahid said.

"MPR decided to cut its budget in a leadership meeting on December 22, 2008," Wahid said in a press statement made available to ANTARA on Thursday.

The statement quoted Wahid when he spoke to the press after the installation ceremony of MPR new mid-term replacement members.

Wahid said the MPR leadership meeting on December 22 was of the opinion that the global financial condition affected the state financial condition.

Therefore, MPR considered it necessary to cut its budget in accordance with the condition of the revised state budget as a result of the world economic crisis.

He said that the MPR decision was taken in an effort to carry out its efficient basic financial policy based on regulations in force.

Wahid said that MPR was willing to ascertain that its budget was constitutional and allocated through the means justified by the law.

He said that the MPR decision to cut its budget would be submitted through the existing mechanism, namely through the budget revision in July 2009.