Controversial decree on Kopri functionaries to be revised

JAKARTA (JP): Institute of State Personnel Administration (BAKN) chief Sofian Effendi said the government would revise the controversial ministerial decree awarding structural ranks to functionaries in the Civil Servants Corps (Korpri).

"State Minister of Administrative Reforms Freddy Numberi, who issued the controversial decree on Feb. 1, 2000, has agreed to revise it out of fear it could spark protests. Moreover, Korpri is not a part of the bureaucracy," he told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

The ministerial decree, which should have taken effect on Feb. 1, gives ranks to members of Korpri's executive board, Korpri functionaries in ministries, state-owned companies as well as Korpri chapters in provinces, regencies, subdistricts and villages.

Should the decree be enacted, the Korpri functionaries would deserve treatment similar to those of high-ranking officials, including a spectacular increase in structural allowances which range from 500 percent to 2,000 percent.

The Korpri chief, his or her deputies, the secretary-general and heads of Korpri units in state departments are awarded with the highest ranking of I A, while chiefs of Korpri's provincial chapters are ranked an I B echelon.

The decree stipulates that ranks are awarded to civil servants employed in the civil servants organization.

Sofian said if the decree was enforced the government would have to spend some extra Rp 608 billion annually for civil servants who hold posts in Korpri.

According to the decree, BAKN is tasked with enforcing the regulation, but Sofian said the administrative body would comply with the stipulation pending a significant adjustment.

He insisted that Korpri is an independent mass organization according to the 1999 State Employees Law, and was therefore not part of the bureaucracy.

In the past Korpri was incorporated in the bureaucracy as one of the three pillars of then ruling party Golkar.

Korpri chairman Feisal Tamin said the decree's issuance was merely aimed at empowering Korpri officials in fighting for civil servants' interests.

"It is natural if Korpri's functionaries are included and paid equal to officials in the bureaucracy because they work for the interests of the two organizations," Feisal, a former secretary- general of the home affairs ministry, said.

He said that Korpri was a part of the bureaucracy, given the fact that all its members are civil servants and employees of state-owned companies.

Meanwhile, Mochtar Buchori, a legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), criticized any plans to issue the controversial decree.

"The decree proves that the government does not care about teachers and low-ranking civil servants who still live in poverty," he said.

He said the government, instead of announcing a delay, should annul the decree because it violates the Civil Servants Law.

He pledged to bring the controversial decree to his faction's next meeting for discussion. (rms)