Legislator praise wage hike for civil servants<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives members hailed
\nyesterday the government's plan to discuss a hike in salaries for
\ncivil servants and Armed Forces personnel, predicting a fair
\nincrease would be between 10 and 20 percent.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto said, while presenting the government's
\n1997\/98 draft budget yesterday, salaries and wages were expected
\nto climb to Rp 32 trillion (US$14.3 billion), up 16 percent from
\nlast year's Rp 27 trillion (US$12.1 billion).<\/p>\n
The amount is more than half the government's proposed routine
\nexpenses which are set at Rp 62.2 trillion for the next fiscal
\nyear.<\/p>\n
"Every time state expenditure is drafted for civil servants'
\nsalaries, their well-being is taken into consideration," Soeharto
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
A.A. Baramuli, a member of House Commission VII on trade and
\nbanking from Golkar faction, said the hike should be accompanied
\nby a massive 50 percent reduction of personnel.<\/p>\n
"The payroll has reached an alarming 30 percent of our total
\nannual budget and should draw serious concern from all of us.
\nThis needs a solution," Baramuli said.<\/p>\n
He suggested civil servants who are let go be given full
\npensions and loans to start businesses in their respective
\nhometowns.<\/p>\n
"The loans could be taken from the government's development
\nexpenditure, let's say one third of the amount." he said.<\/p>\n
Hamzah Haz, chairman of the United Development Party faction,
\nsaid the hike should be applied differently according to level,
\nwith the lower levels enjoying a greater increase than the top.<\/p>\n
"It will be fair if civil servants from the lowest two levels
\nreceive up to a 20 percent boost, while those on higher levels
\nget between 10 and 15 percent," Hamzah said.<\/p>\n
Another House member, Iskandar Mandji of Golkar, said civil
\nservant salaries could increase by 20 percent if the government
\nmanaged state revenue efficiently.<\/p>\n
"There is no reason to disapprove a salary increase. What can
\nwe hope from a bureaucracy with salaries lower than the monthly
\nregional minimum wage of Rp 156,000?" Iskandar said.<\/p>\n
Discussion<\/p>\n
Soeharto said the salary hike would be discussed with the
\nHouse with the understanding that while the increase should
\nimprove the well-being of civil servants, it must be realized
\nthat every time salaries are raised -- even by a small percentage
\n-- the total amount would be large.<\/p>\n
The number of Civil servants totaled some six million, 3.5
\nmillion in the bureaucracy and 2.5 in various state-owned
\ncompanies. The Armed Forces have more than 450.000 personnel.<\/p>\n
The House is expected to complete deliberations on the state
\nbudget draft by the end of next month.<\/p>\n
The government has raised civil servant salaries in stages so
\nfar. However, Soeharto admitted the increase did not suffice to
\nease the burdens of civil servants' lives.<\/p>\n
State Minister of Administrative Reforms TB Silalahi said the
\ngovernment has so far selectively increased civil servant
\nsalaries depending on the respective merits of individuals.<\/p>\n
"Teachers who are members of the Indonesian Civil Servants
\nCorps, especially those assigned to remote areas, deserve higher
\nsalaries. So do professional employees like researchers and
\nprofessors," Silalahi said.<\/p>\n
Teachers make up 40 percent of the corps.<\/p>\n
"Selective salary hikes are aimed at erasing the annoying
\npublic perception that the civil servants salary scheme does not
\ndifferentiate between lazy and hard workers," Silalahi said.<\/p>\n
The government has raised civil servant salaries in the past
\nfour years by an average 10 percent a year to keep up with
\ninflation, except in 1994 when inflation slid to a low 4.5
\npercent. Inflation last year was estimated at 6.4 percent.<\/p>\n
The highest monthly salary for civil servants at the IV\/E
\nlevel is Rp 500,000 (US$217.3), while some entry-level I\/A civil
\nservants earn less than Rp 90,000.<\/p>\n
Civil servants are entitled to a family allowance, receiving
\nan additional 10 percent of their basic salary for a spouse and 2
\npercent for each child up to two children. In addition, those
\nliving in areas such as Irian Jaya and East Timor are eligible
\nfor extra living allowances. (amd\/imn\/pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/legislator-praise-wage-hike-for-civil-servants-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}