Councillors get Rp 4.2b for life insurance<\/p>\n
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
After waiting months for a decision, the city's 85 councillors
\ncan now feel more relaxed and secure after confirmation that the
\n2002 budget would allocate Rp 4.2 billion (US$420,000) for their
\nlife insurance coverage.<\/p>\n
The Rp 4.2 billion allocation for life insurance was part of
\nthe Rp 6 billion health allowance for councillors included in the
\n2002 city budget. Last year's budget granted councillors a health
\nallowance of just Rp 1.8 billion.<\/p>\n
Chairwoman of the council's commission C for budgetary affairs
\nAnna Rudhiantina confirmed last Friday that Rp 4.2 billion of the
\nRp 6 billion allowance fund would go toward councillors'
\ninsurance.<\/p>\n
\"This allocation does not violate government regulations as
\nthe administration can afford it,\" Anna, of the Golkar Party,
\ntold reporters.<\/p>\n
Last October, the council tried to have the insurance fund
\nincluded in the 2001 revised budget but later withdrew the
\nproposal in the face of strong public criticism.<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, the councillors remained determined to secure the
\ninsurance.<\/p>\n
They rejected the public criticism, saying they needed
\nprotection due to the high risks involved in their work, such as
\nthe possibility of sinking at sea when conducting official travel
\nin the Thousand Islands area.<\/p>\n
The councillors also said that they envied the four gorillas
\nscheduled to arrive at the Ragunan Zoo in South Jakarta from
\nEngland this month, because the primates were receiving funding
\nof Rp 3.2 billion from the city budget.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Jakarta Residents Forum (Fakta) Azas Tigor
\nNainggolan deplored the councillors' demands for life insurance,
\nsaying that they should pay for it out of their own pockets.<\/p>\n
\"The demand just adds to the list of benefits enjoyed by the
\ncouncillors and funded by public money, despite the fact they
\nhaven't been performing well,\" Azas said.<\/p>\n
Besides the insurance, the 2002 city budget would also
\nallocate Rp 11 billion for the councillors' travel allowance, Rp
\n1.05 billion for a wardrobe allowance and Rp 150 million for
\ntheir families and food allowances.<\/p>\n
Last year, councillors made overseas trips to a number of
\ncountries, including the U.S. and China, to conduct what they
\ndescribed as comparative studies. But it was later proven that
\nthe trips had been for pleasure only as most of their programs
\nconsisted of visits to tourist sites.<\/p>\n
Councillors will also receive Rp 1.47 billion as
\n\"representative money\" and Rp 369 million for \"package money\".<\/p>\n
The budget will allocate Rp 80 billion for administration and
\nfor councillors' public activities, such as donations to fire and
\nflood victims.<\/p>",
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