Bogor councilors question payment

Bogor councilors question payment

BOGOR (JP): A senior mayoralty official here on Tuesday backed several local councilors' suggestion to forego kadeudeuh, (a farewell token in the form of money), from Mayor Iswara Natanegara to councilors set to soon leave their posts.

Head of the mayoralty's social-political affairs office E. Rukanda told the media: "Please write this down, that I disagree if legislative members have to be given separation pay or kadeudeuh."

All 45 members of the Bogor Legislative Council will soon end their terms. They will be replaced with new faces elected during the recent general election.

There have been rumors the mayoralty office was set to spend Rp 900 million (US$135,340) for the kadeudeuh package, or Rp 20 million for each councilor.

A source from Iswara's office had said the mayor would take over the debt of the legislative members, which amounted to some Rp 15 million each.

In comparison, Jakarta's councilors reportedly received Rp 50 million each from Governor Sutiyoso's administration. Council Speaker Edy Waluyo disputed the claim, saying no farewell tokens were distributed.

"Councilors are not factory workers, who must receive a form of separation pay when they quit," Rukanda said.

The source, who requested anonymity, said should Iswara provide money tokens to the legislative members, his stance would be questioned. He said long-serving staff who retired, or left the mayor's office, received in recognition of their work only a prayer mat.

"Then why must the legislative members, who only worked for two years, receive kadeudeuh?" he asked.

Legislative member Cheppy Harun from the ruling Golkar party said earlier he would not request the farewell token from Iswara's office because he only worked for two years, instead of the scheduled five years.

Eman Sulaeman from the United Development Party (PPP) endorsed his colleague's rejection of the token of appreciation.

"There's no such money allocated in the ongoing budget of the mayoralty," Eman said.(21/bsr)