Councillors stand to get Rp 90m a month<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
If the 2003 draft budget is approved by the Jakarta City Council,
\nthe 85 councillors will each receive a monthly income of about Rp
\n90 million (US$10,000).<\/p>\n
Anna Rudhiantina, the chairwoman of the council's budget
\ncommittee, confirmed on Wednesday that the draft budget allocated
\nRp 91.6 billion for the payment of councillors, including Rp 42.3
\nbillion for stipends and councillors' transportation allowances.<\/p>\n
"It's the budget allocation agreed on by the councillors and
\nthe city administration," Anna told reporters after a budget
\nmeeting with administration officials at the council building.<\/p>\n
She claimed that the draft budget, including the Rp 91.6
\nmillion estimate, came within the council's powers under Law No.
\n22\/1999 on regional autonomy.<\/p>\n
She said Government Regulation No. 110\/2000 on the council's
\nfinancial affairs, which limited councillors' incomes, had
\nearlier been revoked as it contradicted the autonomy law.<\/p>\n
"So the amount of the allocation in the budget depends on the
\ncouncil and the administration," said Anna, who is a member of
\nthe Golkar Party faction.<\/p>\n
If the budget is approved by the end of this month without
\nbeing amended, each councillor will receive a monthly gross
\nincome of Rp 90 million, including a monthly salary of Rp 41.1
\nmillion.<\/p>\n
The figure of Rp 91.6 billion also includes provision for
\ncouncillors' welfare allowances of Rp 14 billion, attendance
\nallowances of Rp 1.4 billion, travel allowances of Rp 5 billion
\nand clothing allowances of Rp 1.2 billion.<\/p>\n
According to Government Regulation No. 110\/2000, a
\ncouncillor's monthly salary should be about Rp 3 million and his
\nallowances amount to about Rp 6 million.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a financial assistant to the City Secretary, Makmun
\nAmin, claimed that the administration could not refuse the
\ncouncil's demand for a budget allocation of Rp 91.6 billion.<\/p>\n
"If we reject their demands, the whole draft budget will be
\nrejected by the council," Makmun told reporters after the
\nmeeting.<\/p>\n
Many observers believe that the administration will agree to
\nthe council's proposal as it wants its own budget proposals to be
\napproved.<\/p>\n
Critics have deplored the Rp 91.6 billion estimate for the
\ncouncillors and Rp 9 billion estimate for Governor Sutiyoso,
\nespecially given that the budget only allocates Rp 26 billion for
\npoverty alleviation programs designed to help the 1.2 million
\npoor people here.<\/p>",
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