City councillors expected to get pay increase
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.