Civil servants face first day back<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Makassar\/Semarang\/Bandung<\/p>\n
Public services resumed nationwide on Wednesday after a week's
\nbreak for Idul Fitri, however service was slower than usual as
\nthe holiday mood prevailed.<\/p>\n
Rather than knuckling down to work, most civil servants
\nattended halal bihalal functions (a post-Idul Fitri gathering in
\nwhich everyone asks for forgiveness).<\/p>\n
At the gatherings, the civil servants form a large circle and
\nshake hands, asking each other for forgiveness as was the case in
\nBandung, West Java.<\/p>\n
In the city, some three hours away from Jakarta, civil
\nservants congregated at their respective offices at 7 a.m,
\nchatting in groups about their holidays.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of civil servants lined up to shake hands with West
\nJava Governor Danny Setiawan and top West Java officials at the
\ngubernatorial office. Morning tea was provided, but rather than
\nreturning to their desks after eating, the civil servants
\nmade a swift departure for their homes, though it was not yet
\nnoon.<\/p>\n
\"What can we do? It is normal to return home early on the
\nfirst working day after the holiday. We will resume our regular
\nroutines on Monday,\" said Aini (not her real name), a government
\nemployee at the secretariat of the West Java council.<\/p>\n
Some superiors of the civil servants were not prepared to put
\na dampener on things either.<\/p>\n
South Sulawesi Mayor Ilham Arif Sirajuddin said he
\nwould not force his employees to work as normal, knowing they
\nwere still in a holiday mood.<\/p>\n
However, some hope can be gleaned from the low rate of
\nabsenteeism in government offices on Wednesday. At the West Java
\nadministration and council, some 90 percent of the total 1,300
\ncivil servants turned up for work on the first day after the
\nholiday. In Makassar municipality, only one percent of the total
\n3,000 civil servants did not turn up on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Makassar Mayor Arif had earlier warned civil servants
\nconsidering skipping work on the first day after the holiday
\nthey would be punished under Government Decree No. 30\/1981, which
\nstipulates a written reprimand or dismissal for nonattenders.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, many civil servants said they came to work on
\nWednesday for fear of an impromptu visit by the Central Java
\ngovernor.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Governor Mardiyanto had warned
\nhe would visit government offices in the province on the first
\nworking day after the holiday and those who skipped work
\nwould be punished according to the government decree.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/civil-servants-face-first-day-back-1447893297",
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