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)