Civil servant absent for six years

Civil servant absent for six years

JAKARTA: Will you get fired if you fail to show up for work
for six years? Not likely -- if you work for the National Land
Agency (BPN), that is.

Minister for Administrative Reforms M. Feisal Tamin expressed
surprise Thursday when he discovered there was an employee at the
agency who had been absent for six years because he was sick,
Antara reported.

"I am surprised the office was not aware or pretended that
they did not know," he said.

As he opened a bazaar at the ministry office compound, Tamin
added, "I will ask for a clarification."

According to regulation, one is allowed to stay home from work
for a up to two years if the person is ill, as stated by a
medical doctor.

He said that the BPN employee was sick and had received
medical treatment for four years. Then, for the next two years,
he went to see a traditional healer.

"BPN recorded that he violated the regulation because he went
to see a healer," the minister said.

The man, however, was still registered as a civil servant.--JP