Planned allowances for RT, RW heads rebuked<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto and Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post,
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Members of both the high- and low-income communities frowned upon
\nthe city administration's plan to provide allowances for the
\nheads of community units (RW) and neighborhood units (RT): the
\nrich felt insulted as the allowances were too small, while the
\npoor said it would be better to allocate the money towards the
\nneedy.<\/p>\n
The allowances, as much as Rp 200,000 (US$23) a month for
\ncommunity unit heads and Rp 150,000 for neighborhood unit heads,
\ntotal some Rp 61 billion for the year, and will be drawn from the
\n2003 city budget.<\/p>\n
Suwandi, a neighborhood unit head at the Kelapa Gading Housing
\nEstate in North Jakarta blasted the allowance as it belittled his
\nvoluntary works for the people in the neighborhood.<\/p>\n
\"What can we do with such meager amount of money? It's simply
\nhumiliating for us. Besides, the money will only spark questions
\nand doubts from other residents. We won't accept it,\" Suwandi
\ntold The Jakarta Post on Friday.<\/p>\n
Suwandi said that every month, each resident contributed Rp
\n100,000 towards security and sanitation. This means that out of
\nover 600 families living in the complex, the total funds gathered
\nfrom residents alone hovers at a hefty Rp 60 million.<\/p>\n
A number of residents in the South Grogol subdistrict of
\nKebayoran Lama, South Jakarta, objected to the administration's
\nplan for a different reason.<\/p>\n
Ida, a widow of 60, said that neighborhood heads and community
\nheads do not deserve the allowances because it is the residents
\nwho most need the administration's attention.<\/p>\n
Voicing a similar opinion, Lilis, 56, told the Post, \"Rather
\nthan giving the money to Pak RT, it is much better to allocate it
\ninto a safety net program for the residents' welfare.\"<\/p>\n
She said although her neighborhood head, Asmali, doesn't
\nreceive a salary for his work in helping the residents procure
\npublic services, people always gave him gratuities.<\/p>\n
Separately, Asmali, head of RT 5\/RW 10 of South Grogol, South
\nJakarta, said he welcomed the allowance as recognition from the
\nadministration for those \"who work without rewards.\"<\/p>\n
He claimed that he had been told by RW 10 chief Nachrowi that
\nall the five RT heads would receive honorariums, but that the
\nexact amount had yet to be decided.<\/p>\n
Asmali, an elementary school graduate, is now unemployed after
\nhis home industry went bankrupt two years ago. The workshop and
\nshop, which were adjacent to his house, were developed into ten
\nrental units. In a month, he collects a total of Rp 1 million
\n(US$112) from his tenants.<\/p>\n
The neighborhood is home to 50 families, many of them widows
\nwith children. Most of the residents are unskilled workers and
\nstreet vendors. Asmali said he often covered the RT's expenses
\nfrom his own pocket, because only 30 families were able to pay
\nthe monthly dues of Rp 6,000.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, urban observer Tubagus Haryo Karbyanto lambasted
\nthe city administration's idea, saying these allowances would
\nweaken community ties instead of boosting it, as most community
\nleaders work as unpaid volunteers, and were thus independent of
\nany interference from the city administration.<\/p>\n
\"RT and RW heads are now believed to be representatives of the
\npeople, mainly those at the grassroots level. Most of them have
\nbeen democratically elected by the residents to give voice to the
\ncommunity's concerns,\" Tubagus said.<\/p>\n
If those community leaders received allowances from the
\nadministration, Tubagus said, they would be less independent as
\nthey would face psychological pressures to refrain from
\ncriticizing the administration, in cases when the residents were
\nat odds with the administration's policies.<\/p>\n
Instead of granting such personal allowances, Tubagus said, it
\nwould be better off for community building efforts if residents
\ndiscussed their contributions to shoulder costs needed for
\ncommunity activities.<\/p>\n
\"Regardless of how meager the amount of contribution, it is
\nimportant for developing the community,\" Tubagus said.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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