Council takes vow of silence
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post/Tangerang
In protest against the regulation on protocol and financial affairs of councillors, Tangerang Legislative Council members are to form an ojek (motorcycle taxi) convoy to drive to the office on Monday and not speak a word the whole day.
The protest will coincide with the regency's 61st anniversary, the celebration of which will be held at the administration's Serba Ginma Hall in the regency capital of Tigaraksa.
Ahmad Kurtubi of the United Development Party's (PPP) faction said that Government Regulation No. 24/2004 gives no benefit to the councillors, as the salary and facilities stipulated are insufficient to support their family as well as the political parties.
"We receive Rp 4.6 million (US$511) as a monthly salary, most of which has to be given to our party's office and to pay for several other necessities. We can only take the remaining Rp 250,000 home," he said, adding that he had no other source of income.
The councillors claimed that most of them had also skipped meetings during the five months of work in protest over the policy, and therefore, had not received their honorariums.
Councillor Dedi of the Golkar Party said that his house and private car would soon be confiscated by the bank because he could not pay the monthly installments on a Rp 800 million loan he took to finance his campaign in the legislative election.
"First I thought that I would be able to pay the installments from my salary, but I spend almost all of it to support the party's cadres and the driver, leaving me with only Rp 200,000 each month," said the building material supplier.
One of the initiators of the protest, Almansur of the National Mandate Party (PAN), said that the councillors -- all in suits and ties -- would first gather on Jl. Raya Serang and take the five kilometer route to the office in Tigaraksa.
"We want the central government to revise the government regulation and the regency administration to seek a solution to our financial problems. After this, we hope political party cadres realize that becoming a councillor is not what they imagine," he remarked.