President Jokowi Receives DPD RI’s Visit

The Speaker as well as Chairmans of Organs of Regional Representatives Council at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Friday (16/12) afternoon (Picture: Public Relations Office/Jay)

After receiving the visit of the Speakers of  the House of Representatives, President Joko Widodo also received the visit of the Speaker as well as Chairman of the Organs of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD), at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Friday (16/12) afternoon.

The Speaker of DPD Mohammad Saleh said that the meeting, which was a consultation forum, discussed a number of issues, such as the strengthening of DPD’s institution through amendment proposal of Law Number 42 of 2014 on MPR (People’s Consultative Assembly), DPR (House of Representatives), DPD (Regional Representatives Council), and DPRD (Regional House of Representatives) or MD3, development acceleration in East Indonesian regions, poverty, as well as inter region revenue disparity.

In addition, according to Saleh, the meeting also discussed Papua’s special autonomy and establishment of new autonomy regions. He also firmly said that the DPD will always support and criticize the Government’s programs. “Moreover, there are a lot of aspects that have been discussed, for example, Papua’s special autonomy, as well as establishment of new autonomy regions. These are several issues discussed in the consultation meeting. The point is, the DPD still criticizes and supports the Government’s development programs,” Saleh said to the journalists after meeting President Joko Widodo at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Friday (16/12) afternoon.

The DPD also mentioned about village fund program that is carried out by the Government. They appreciated the increase of regional transfer funds that always increases every year.“We always encourage to increase regional transfer funds as well as village funds every year. The Government already does it. From 2016 to 2017, the increase is quite significant,” Saleh praised.

Accompanying the President in the consultation meeting were Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, and Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung. Meanwhile, the DPD was represented by the Speaker of DPD Mohammad Saleh, Deputy Speakers of DPD, GKR Hemas and Farouk Muhammad, as well as several Chairmans of DPD’s Organs. (FID/ES)(MMB/YM/Naster)