{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1024045,
        "msgid": "long-weekends-for-civil-servants-next-year-1447893297",
        "date": "1994-07-06 00:00:00",
        "title": "Long weekends for civil servants next year",
        "author": null,
        "source": "JP",
        "tags": null,
        "topic": null,
        "summary": "Long weekends for civil servants next year JAKARTA (JP): The government has allowed all its agencies to conduct a trial-run before they fully implement long weekend scheme for civil servants. Minister of Administrative Reforms TB Silalahi told newsmen, after a meeting with President Soeharto at Bina Graha yesterday, that the scheme will be aimed at tightening the budget, specifically with regard to the use of electricity and telephone lines.",
        "content": "<p>Long weekends for civil servants next year<\/p>\n<p>JAKARTA (JP): The government has allowed all its agencies to<br>\nconduct a trial-run before they fully implement long weekend<br>\nscheme for civil servants.<\/p>\n<p>Minister of Administrative Reforms TB Silalahi told newsmen,<br>\nafter a meeting with President Soeharto at Bina Graha yesterday,<br>\nthat the scheme will be aimed at tightening the budget,<br>\nspecifically with regard to the use of electricity and telephone<br>\nlines.<\/p>\n<p>However, Silalahi said that not all government agencies would<br>\nintroduce the program, especially those which are involved in<br>\npublic services.<\/p>\n<p>The minister said that, in the first phase, the offices will<br>\nintroduce the long weekend program once a month.<\/p>\n<p>The frequency will gradually be increased until all civil<br>\nservants are allowed to have Saturdays and Sundays off every<br>\nweek.<\/p>\n<p>He said that the offices who had introduced the program<br>\npreviously had reported a rise in productivity.<\/p>\n<p>They are the Jakarta municipal administration, the Body for<br>\nthe Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) and the<br>\nstate-owned oil company Pertamina.<\/p>\n<p>The idea of giving civil servants the right to have Saturdays<br>\nand Sundays off came from President Soeharto. He said recently<br>\nthat the long weekends would enable them to have more time with<br>\ntheir families.<\/p>\n<p>The President said the scheme can help the government agencies<br>\ntighten their budgets -- by cutting electricity and telephone<br>\nbills, for example.<\/p>\n<p>He also said that, during the long weekends, civil servants<br>\ncan go to out of town to buy agricultural products at local<br>\nmarkets. According to the President, by visiting rural areas,<br>\ntownspeople will help boost rural economy and improve the welfare<br>\nof villagers.<\/p>\n<p>Silalahi said that he was also aware that many civil servants<br>\nwere moonlighting to help make ends meet.<\/p>\n<p>\"We do not turn a blind eye to the realities. As long as they<br>\nmoonlight lawfully we have no objections,\" the minister said.<\/p>\n<p>According to Silalahi, many civil servants who live and work<br>\nin rural areas still work actively on farms and some of them even<br>\noperate ojek (motorcycle taxis).<\/p>\n<p>Silalahi said that the scheme will start next year because<br>\n1995 is an important milestone in Indonesian history.<\/p>\n<p>\"The republic will be 50 years old next year,\" he added. (tis)<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/long-weekends-for-civil-servants-next-year-1447893297",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}