Anti-corruption not merely a slogan for morgue workers
Anti-corruption not merely a slogan for morgue workers
JAKARTA (JP): Many people are surprised to discover that civil servants are able to survive as well as they do despite the paltry wages they earn.
It is often assumed they are only able to make ends meet thus through corruption. It cannot be denied, of course, that in some government offices corruption runs rampant and civil servants are busy lining their pockets with ill-gotten wealth.
Still, there are some government postings where it is nearly impossible for civil servants to enrich themselves through corruption. These civil servants, thus deprived of that opportunity, must do extra work on the side to earn the additional income they need to support their families.
One can find numerous examples of civil servants having little side gigs to supplement their official salaries among the government employees at the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM) morgue.
Basri, 52, a staffer at the morgue, said he needed to do some work on the side due to the meager salary he received from the government.
"Currently, I earn some Rp 700,000 (US$73.60) a month. I don't know how I would support my family if I didn't have side jobs," he told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
The resident of Bendungan Jago, Central Jakarta, said he had to support eight children, including his second eldest child who is pursuing a degree in economics at the private Indonesian Islamic University in Yogyakarta.
Basri, who has been working at the morgue for 24 years, said he did various jobs to get cash, including providing the white cloth to wrap the deceased, ambulance services, perfumes and coffins to those in need.
He said he acted as a broker for companies or people who provided services and goods for the deceased and their families.
"For example, I inform PT Lestari, a coffin manufacturer in Senen, if the family of a deceased person here needs a coffin. Of course, I get a commission for this," he said, declining to specify how much money he received.
He also has established a network with four people who run small garment shops, supplying them with white cloth.
"I buy the white cloth in bales from a distributor in Tanah Abang, and I sell some 60 rolls of the cloth to the four each month, for which I earn Rp 600,000 per month on average," he said.
Previously, the coffin business was his main side job.
"I used to buy sengon wood from a person in Ciamis, West Java, to meet the demand of several coffin manufacturers in the city," he said.
The business collapsed when his contact in Ciamis failed to provide the wood in only the fourth month of the venture, back in 1997.
"I had already invested Rp 4 million for the month, when the person said the wood was seized by officials because he didn't have legal documents," he said.
Basri said he did not dare sue his contact. "I was afraid he would practice black magic on me if I reported the case to the police. Ciamis is famous for its black magic practitioners," he said, adding that he quit the coffin business after that incident.
He said he was proud to be able to support his family without having to resort to corruption.
"With my side job, I can cover the expenditures of my family. Besides, there is nothing to be corrupted here (in the morgue)," he said.
With his additional income, his eldest daughter was able to continue her education, earning her bachelor's decree in nutrition. She now works as a nutritionist at RSCM.
Another staffer at the morgue, Acip, 62, has done similar side work in the past.
"I used to supply training pants, clothing or T-shirts to traders in Senen or at the hospital in the 1980s," said Acip, who has been working at the morgue for 31 years.
He said from this extra income, he was able to raise four daughters.
"They now enjoy their own lives with their husbands. It is now my turn to relax," said Acip, who will retire next month.
Acip claimed employees at the morgue were firm in their commitment to avoid corruption.
"Former RSCM director Professor Sujudi once told us not to take fees from the relatives of the deceased for our services. We can only take money from the families of the deceased if they give it to us voluntarily," he said. (asa)