JAKARTA – According to BBC News Indonesia, among the flurry of information we hear about the salaries and allowances of members of the House of Representatives, one thing that makes us shake our heads is the housing allowance of Rp 50 million per person per month. If we do the math, with 580 members of the House of Representatives, that means the state spends Rp 29 billion every month. In a year? Yes, around Rp 348 billion. That’s just for housing allowances, not including other allowances.
Let’s try to use our imagination a little. What if that money was diverted to build or develop free hospitals for the poor, such as the Rumah Sehat Terpadu (RST) Dompet Dhuafa, which has been established in the Madina Zone, Bogor?
For those who don’t know, RST is funded entirely by ZISWAF (zakat, infaq, wakaf, and sedekah) funds. It has complete facilities: a 24-hour emergency room, ICU, operating rooms, specialist clinics, and even hemodialysis. In short, it’s a modern facility for people who have difficulty paying for medical care.
Back in 2012, when it was first officially established, the cost of RST was around Rp 30 billion. Now, with advanced equipment and a larger building, the investment that has gone into RST is probably around Rp 100 billion.
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If Rp 348 billion (the annual housing allowance for members of the House of Representatives) were used to build public hospitals, it would be enough to build 3-4 new public hospitals with complete facilities in various regions. Imagine, with three additional free hospitals, how many poor people would be able to receive proper health care without having to worry about the cost.
If this housing allowance money were actually reallocated, the benefits would be immediately felt. Underprivileged patients could seek treatment without having to choose between “paying for their children’s education or buying medicine,” remote areas with limited healthcare facilities could gain better access, and medical personnel would have more flexibility to provide care without being hindered by administrative issues.
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In essence, the Rp 348 billion fund could be a long-term health investment for the people. Compare this to housing allowances that are spent on the lifestyles of a handful of people. There is nothing wrong with having housing allowances. But if asked, which is more important: luxurious homes for officials funded by the people, or free hospitals for the people? The answer is probably clear in each of our minds.
Sometimes, to make Indonesia healthier and more equitable, we can redirect the budget to things that have a broader impact. But don’t worry, we can still make a budget that has a broad impact, like at RST. Just click: Waqf Incubator for Critically Ill Babies in the NICU, insha Allah, it will be beneficial to many. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text and Illustration: Dhika
Editor: Dedi Fadlil