1,200 civil servants have no job

1,200 civil servants have no job

BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: At least 1,200 civil servants
posted at the South Kalimantan administration have been out of
work since the regional autonomy law was implemented in January.

While waiting for a new job placement under the regional
administration, many have become ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers,
some have become motorcycle brokers, and others have turned to
mining for gold and precious stones.

Soleh, a III B grade employee of the Tourism Ministry
Provincial Office, said on Tuesday that he had become an ojek
driver. "I prefer staying at home after work, and the other thing
I do is escort my children to and from school."

"There is no position for me in the office, furthermore, there
is no guarantee that I will be assigned to my old office," he
said.

The South Kalimantan provincial spokesman Hadi Susilo said he
had no idea when all the civil servants would receive job
placements. He acknowledged that the "unemployed" civil servants
received their monthly salaries and other allowances for nothing.

Many civil servants posted at the provinces received their
salaries and were under the jurisdiction of the central
government. Since regional autonomy became effective in January,
all central governments' assets in the provinces were taken over
by the provincial administrations. Therefore all civil servants
working in the provinces are now under the auspices of the
provincial government both administratively and financially.

Hadi said that many of the "unemployed" staffers had had good
and lucrative positions. "They have lost everything after the
provincial administration took over."

He said the total transfer would take time, and all civil
servants should come to their office daily. (32/sur)