City councillors expected to get pay increase

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The city administration is likely to allocate more funds from its budget following the issuance of Government Regulation No. 24/2004 on positions, salaries and benefits that requires the administration to pay higher salaries for the new councillors.

Article 11 of the regulation stipulates that the base salary for the council chairman shall be equal to a provincial governor's monthly salary. Deputy chairmen will receive 80 percent of the amount, while council members will get 75 percent of the amount.

"I will comply with the existing regulation. We will adjust the salaries in accordance with the new regulation," Governor Sutiyoso said on Wednesday.

Sutiyoso himself, according to city spokesman Muhayat, only receives a monthly salary of Rp 5.4 million.

The 2004 city budget shows that each councillor receives a base salary of Rp 2,466,000 per month, excluding allowances. One of the councillors, who was reelected for the next five-year term, said the council members would receive a total income of Rp 5.12 million in take-home pay this month including allowances, or the same amount she received in the previous tenure.

Ade Supriatna, a candidate for council chairman proposed by Golkar Party faction, had wanted the administration to double the monthly salary for new councillors.

"I think a monthly income of Rp 5 million is too meager for Jakarta councillors. At least double the amount would be reasonable," he said.

Ade argued that a higher income would discourage the councillors from moonlighting to obtain additional income.

"Our salary is too meager given that we have to donate from our salaries for our needy constituents. Keep in mind that as 'political workers' we have lots of constituents, who are mostly in need of (financial) help," he asserted.

Aside from the monthly income, the regulation also requires the administration to provide housing for the council's chairperson and his or her deputies.

"However, we are thinking of providing funds (to rent homes) since we will not be able to build residences immediately for them," said Sutiyoso.

Sutiyoso demanded that the councillors improve their performance in line with their salary increase.