Bill grants political civil servants favorable treatment
Bill grants political civil servants favorable treatment
JAKARTA (JP): The newly-issued Government Regulation No.
5/1999 stipulates that civil servants who pursue political
activities will lose their posts in the bureaucracy but retain
their status, receive compensation which could last for as long
as five years, regular wage increases, and various other
benefits.
The decree, which is meant to resolve conflicting stances in
the House of Representatives over the 4.1 million civil servants'
involvement in politics, came into effect on Tuesday when
President B.J. Habibie signed it.
In the deliberation of the political bills, the United
Development Party (PPP) faction had been putting up a fight for
the bureaucracy's neutrality and for only 15 unelected House
seats for the military. Following the issuance of the new decree,
PPP yielded to the dominant Golkar and the Armed Forces (ABRI)
factions' wish that the military be given 38 seats.
Also on Wednesday morning, government officials briefed
journalists about the new decree.
Deputy Cabinet Secretary Erman Rajagukguk and Coordinating
Minister for Development Supervision and Administrative Reform
Hartarto Sastrosoenarto explained a portion of the decree,
including a section that says civil servants were allowed to join
political parties only if they took a three-year "unpaid leave",
or quit their job.
An appendix to the decree, however, says the civil servants
are entitled to compensation for loss of employment, the amount
of which is equal to their basic salaries. The so-called "waiting
money" scheme, however, is effective for five years.
"The waiting money can be granted for a maximum of one year
but can be extended but is not to exceed five years...
"In addition to the waiting money, the civil servants in
question will also be given regular pay increases, family
allowances, food allowances, and other benefits as regulated by
the existing legislation," according to the explanatory section
of the decree.
Erman said civil servants must report to their superiors their
membership of political parties or their political activities
over the next three months.
A conflicting explanation, however, was given by Ryaas Rasyid,
the director for public administration and regional autonomy at
the Ministry of Home Affairs.
"Civil servants who take unpaid leave and join a political
party will lose their positions and monthly wages but their
status remains the same," he said referring to 1976 Government
Regulation on civil service vacancies.
Chief of the Civil Servants Administration Agency (BAKN)
Soenarko said positions mentioned in the regulation included
those of director general, director, inspector, lecturer and
clerk, judge and government prosecutor.
He added civil servants who failed to report their membership
of a political party would be fired.
He said civil servants who were reaching a mandatory pension
age of 56 and failed to report their political activities would
not be dismissed but, instead, would be forced into retirement.
Rubiyanto Misman, the rector of the University of Soedirman in
Purwokerto, Central Java, called on politically active civil
servants to resign from their positions.
He named Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung, who is the
Golkar chairman, Minister for Investment Hamzah Haz, the chairman
of the PPP, State Minister of Food and Horticulture A.M.
Syaefuddin, who is the PPP deputy chairman, and chairman of the
National Mandate Party Amien Rais, a lecturer at the Yogyakarta-
based Gadjah Mada University. (rms/45)