In his state speech earlier today, President Joko Widodo teased members of the House of Representatives about their overseas trips.
Upon delivering the speech in the House of Representative building at the legislative complex in Central Jakarta, the president suggested that state officials and lawmakers must look further into proposed overseas trips and whether or not they actually meet the interest of the nation. The president also instructed the executive branch of his administration to do their work more efficiently.
“Why do we have to go far away to other countries when we can obtain all necessary information right from our smartphones. The United States, it’s accessible from here. Same goes for Russia and Germany,” Jokowi quipped in his speech.
The members of the House of Representatives, or DPR, have frequently faced criticism for their overseas trips with expenses being paid from Indonesia’s taxpayers. There is no evidence of significant improvements having taken place despite their frequent number of visits abroad.
Source: The Jakarta Post
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