Big bonus for councillors not proper, observers say
Big bonus for councillors not proper, observers say
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Elected city councillors are displaying insensitivity during hard
times, urban observers have said, citing a new gubernatorial
ruling approving a double or even triple increase in councillors'
incomes.
Jakarta's Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra)
chairman Arif Nur Alam said Governor Sutiyoso's decision to
increase the income of the 75 councillors would affront poor
families, who were feeling the impact of the recent fuel price
increases.
"Neither the governor nor councillors are sensitive to the
situation. They waste taxpayers' money for their own interests
while many Jakartans are tightening their belts," Arif told The
Jakarta Post on Saturday.
Arif was commenting on Gubernatorial Regulation No. 114/2005
on City Council financing, which doubles or even triples
councillors' monthly salaries from the previous Rp 25 million
(US$2,500).
The regulation also says that each councillor is entitled to
an allowance for attending a public hearing, meeting or making an
official city visit. The speaker's allowance per session or visit
is Rp 2 million, deputy speaker Rp 1.75 million and councillor Rp
1.5 million.
A councillor, who requested anonymity, said that each
councillor could conduct up to 50 such activities in one month,
meaning that a councillor could receive Rp 75 million from
incentives alone.
Councillors also receive housing allowances -- Rp 20 million
for the four council leaders and Rp 15 million for the 71 other
councillors -- plus other allowances depending on their positions
on council commissions and committees.
One councillor can be a member of more than one commission or
committee.
Jakarta Residents Forum (Fakta) chairman Azas Tigor Nainggolan
said that, "The governor is trying to make the councillors less
critical with all of those facilities.
"Unfortunately," he added, "councillors are also happy with
his game." Tigor said the Ministry of Home Affairs should annul
the gubernatorial regulation.
"With his regulation, Sutiyoso has legalized corruption
because councillors can take taxpayers' money so easily. They
have been trapped into his game," he said on Saturday.
Arif expressed disappointment that the councillors, who were
elected through a democratic election, had forgot their pledge to
fight for the public's interests.
"Initially, I hoped that councillors from the Prosperous
Justice Party (PKS) would be sensitive to the situation and
reject the extraordinary facilities because the party has always
championed 'cleaner and more sensitive'," he added.
He expressed pessimism that councillors would be able to
control the city administration's performance.
Therefore, Arif added, non-governmental organizations and
other members of society should be more critical so that the city
administration uses taxpayers' money properly.
Tigor also said that the gubernatorial regulation was not in
line with the policy of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who
has stated that state officials should live modestly.