August 20, 2025 | 10:53 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) considered the housing allowance for parliament members as a form of budget extravagance, estimating the total cost at a staggering Rp1.74 trillion.
According to Egi Primayogha, the Head of ICW's Advocacy Division, parliament must provide a more compelling justification for this substantial allowance. He questioned whether the amount of Rp50 million per member per month over a five-year term is in line with applicable standards and provisions.
"Multiplying 580 members of parliament by Rp50 million for 60 months results in a waste of public funds amounting to Rp1.74 trillion," Egi said in an official statement on Wednesday, August 20, 2025.
Egi argued that the allocation of such a massive allowance is both unfair and unjust, particularly given the financial struggles faced by the public due to rising taxes and other daily hardships.
"We strongly suspect that the housing allowance is only to increase political expenses to cover election costs, or to maintain the patronage networks of the parliamentarians," he stated.
Furthermore, Egi urged parliament to publicly disclose all budget figures received during their term, including funds for recess and regional visits. "There needs to be clarity on whether the budget has increased from the previous allocation," he stated.
Members of the House of Representatives (DPR) for the 2024-2029 period receive this monthly Rp50 million housing allowance. The funds are intended to compensate them for not receiving official housing facilities located in the Kalibata area of South Jakarta.
This allowance significantly boosts the take-home income of lawmakers. Tubagus Hasanuddin, a parliamentary member, said that his net salary can reach "Rp100 million per month or Rp3 million per day."
In a separate comment, Secretary General of the DPR Indra Iskandar explained that the amount of the Rp50 million allowance was determined through discussions with the Ministry of Finance.
"The value was established based on a benchmark, namely the housing allowance for members of the Jakarta Regional Representatives Council (DPRD)," he said when contacted on Monday, August 18, 2025.
He also noted that because the allowance is provided as a lump sum, the parliament's secretariat does not require members to provide detailed accountability for its use.
Novali Panji Nugroho contributed to the report.
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