Big bonus for outgoing East Java councilors<\/p>\n
SURABAYA (JP): All 100 East Java provincial councilors ended
\ntheir five-year term yesterday with lucrative bonuses from the
\nlocal administration.<\/p>\n
The legislative body's former chairman, Trimarjono, said that
\neach councilor would receive a 70-square-meter house built on a
\n400-square-meter plot in Surabaya's neighboring town of Sidoarjo,
\nplus Rp 70 million (US$29,200) in cash.<\/p>\n
The bonuses, paid out of the province's current budget, are
\nexpected to be presented next month. This practice has applied to
\ncouncilors in the past.<\/p>\n
\"This is a token of the local government's appreciation of the
\ncouncilors' cooperation in the past five years. Besides,
\ncouncilors earn nothing after retirement,\" said Trimarjono.<\/p>\n
The bonuses will be awarded to 47 councilors from Golkar, 20
\nfrom the United development Party (PPP), 13 from the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI) and 20 from the Armed Forces.<\/p>\n
Trimarjono relinquished his chairmanship of the legislative
\nbody yesterday during an induction ceremony for new councilors,
\npresided by East Java High Court chief Gede Sidharta.<\/p>\n
In the country's 27 provinces, 1,419 councilors started their
\nterms yesterday to mark the end of the provincial general
\nelection process.<\/p>\n
Five hundred people will be inducted as legislators in the
\nHouse of Representatives on Oct. 1. Their term will expire in
\n2002.<\/p>\n
East Java's legislative council saw 62 new faces and a
\ndifferent composition in the factions' representation.<\/p>\n
Golkar maintains its firm grip over the council with 50
\nrepresentatives, while the PPP has 27 councilors, the PDI has
\nthree and the Armed Forces has 20.<\/p>\n
The PDI, demoralized by its abysmal defeat in the May 29
\nelection, has new blood in the council with the entry of
\nlegislator Dimmy Haryanto, who opted to stay at home instead of
\nrejoining the House in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Dimmy's decision has paved the way for fellow East Java PDI
\nmember, Budi Hardjono, to win another five-year term in the
\nHouse. Dimmy topped the list of PDI legislative candidates from
\nEast Java, while Budi was fourth.<\/p>\n
The party managed to gain two House seats from East Java, but
\nBudi looks certain to make a return to the House after the number
\ntwo candidate, Latief Pudjosakti, died last April on the Haj
\npilgrimage in Mecca.<\/p>\n
In Medan, North Sumatra, PDI executives Buttu Hutapea and
\nPanangian Siregar attended the induction of 54 members of the
\nprovincial legislative council as outgoing councilors.<\/p>\n
Panangian, the party's deputy chairman and North Sumatra
\nchapter chief, will line up in the PDI's tiny team of 11 in the
\nHouse. His former secretary, Buttu, was elected the party's
\nsecretary-general following a breakaway, government-backed party
\ncongress last year.<\/p>\n
Buttu was one seat shy of joining Panangian in the House. He
\nwas third on the list of PDI legislative candidates from the
\nprovince where the party won only two House seats.<\/p>\n
The dominant party, Golkar, has 34 councilors, the PPP six,
\nthe PDI three and the Armed Forces 11 on the North Sumatra
\nlegislative council for the 1997-2002 term.<\/p>\n
In the Central Java capital of Semarang, Governor Soewardi
\ncalled on 100 newly inducted councilors yesterday to remain
\ncritical of the provincial government's policies.<\/p>\n
\"All councilors must be more outspoken, but they must back up
\ntheir arguments with evidence. Outspoken criticism should also be
\nraised in the interest of national unity,\" Soewardi said.<\/p>\n
He suggested that councilors make more trips to remote areas
\nto hear complaints from the people they represent.<\/p>\n
The new council comprises 54 members from Golkar, 24 from the
\nPPP, two from the PDI and 20 from the Armed Forces.<\/p>\n
The induction of 45 members of the East Timor legislative
\ncouncil in Dili proceeded in the absence of two of the council's
\noutgoing deputy chairpersons. Maria Quintao and Samuel Petrusz
\nwere absent without explanation. (21\/33\/har\/nur\/amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/big-bonus-for-outgoing-east-java-councilors-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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