GOVT ALLOCATES RP18.1 TRILLION FOR BUREAUCRATIC, LEGAL REFORM

Jakarta, Aug. 3 (ANTARA) - The government has allocated funds amounting to Rp18.1 trillion in the Draft 2010 State Budget (RAPBN) to support the enhancement of bureaucratic and legal reform as well as consolidation of democracy and national security.

The allocation of the budget was expected to achieve at least five targets, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said in his speech introducing the government's financial note and the Draft 2010 State Budget before the House of Representatives (DPR) at Parliament Building here on Monday.

"The expected targets of the budget are among other things: the improvement of government bureaucratic performance to support the realization of good governance and the enhancement of public service quality," President Yudhoyono said in his 31-page address.

The government also hoped to create a legal certainty and prevent corruptions by creating atmosphere which could scare those intending to be engaged in corruption.

And in the end, the government wished to see a higher Corruption Perception Index for Indonesia, the president said.

The implementation of civil society organizations and political stability were also expected to be more effective with the support of the budget allocation.

The government also wanted to improve national security to sustain social and economic activities, particularly the investment and business communities, he said.

In the Bill on State Budget 2010, the personnel budget allocation is envisaged to reach Rp161.7 trillion, or an increase of Rp28 trillion (21 percent) form the estimated realization in 2009.

"The increased personnel budget is intended to improve the performance of the bureaucracy and to raise public service quality," he said.

The allocated budget was among other things to raise salary and basic pension of civil servants and pensioners by five percent, and to pay the 13th salary and pension.

"In order to materialize good governance and public service, in the coming 2010, the government plans to provide remuneration to a number of ministries/institutions which have carried out, and carrying
out bureaucratic reform.

The government hoped that all bureaucratic reform process would be completed in all ministries and institutions in 2011, he said.

The extraordinary plenary session of DPR was attended by DPR House Speaker Agung Laksono, Vice President M Jusuf Kalla, all cabinet ministers, legislators and foreign ambassadors.