Councillors complain about late salary

Councillors complain about late salary

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Although considered to be wealthy, city councillors complained on
Monday that their monthly salaries, which amounted to about Rp 9
million (US$1,000) each, had yet to be disbursed due to the late
approval of the 2003 city budget.

"Yes, the wages have not yet been disbursed. It's really
annoying," councillor A Rahman of the United Development Party
(PPP) said.

Rahman, a former executive of city-owned developer PT
Pembangunan Jaya Ancol, felt that the delayed payment indicated
the chaotic state of the city administration.

Councillor Mardjuan Bakri of the National Mandate Party said
the city administration should have anticipated the problem by
allocating funds for the councillors' salaries, as the same thing
happened last year when the budget was also late being approved.

"As I'm also a businessman, it doesn't affect me. But my party
needs part of my councillor salary," Mardjuan of Council
Commission A for legal and administrative affairs said.

He revealed that 25 percent of his monthly basic salary, which
amounted to about Rp 9 million, was donated to his party to
finance its activities.

Council deputy chairman Chudlary Syafei Hadzami urged city
Governor Sutiyoso to lend money to cover the councillors'
salaries while the 2003 budget awaited approval.

"We will send a letter to the governor asking him to lend the
funds to cover the payments," said Chudlary of PPP.

Separately, city spokesman Muhayat also confirmed on Monday
that the councillors' salaries could not be disbursed due to late
approval of the budget.

"The salaries are considered to be non-fixed income, which
requires budget approval, while civil servant salaries are
considered to be fixed income, which could be covered by the
previous year's budget," Muhayat said.

Besides a basic salary of Rp 9 million, the 85 councillors
receive allowances that can reach Rp 2 million to Rp 4 million
per month.

This year's budget allocates Rp 91.6 billion to councillors,
including Rp 42.3 billion for salaries and transportation and Rp
1.04 billion for clothing allowances.

The budget also allocates Rp 19 billion to their welfare
allowance, plus further allowances of Rp 10 billion (operational
expenses), Rp 1.4 billion (attendance) and Rp 1.5 billion
(health).

Earlier, many observers criticized councillors for demanding
that their financial recompense, such as salaries and allowances,
be disbursed on time, yet failing to put in a good performance.

Besides deploring the allocation of funds for the councillors,
the observers also criticized the allocation of money for
Sutiyoso.

The Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra) lamented
on Friday the allotment of Rp 9.4 billion for Sutiyoso in the
2003 budget.

Part of the Rp 9.4 billion, according to the budget proposal,
was allocated to the governor's contingency fund and Rp 900
million for Sutiyoso's coffee mornings.

Upset at the report, Sutiyoso criticized the non-governmental
organization on Monday for not being aware of the governor's
responsibility for receiving guests.

"It's not only coffee, as we also provide cookies if we
receive guests. I even don't drink coffee," he told reporters at
City Hall.

However, he said he would not object if the city council
wanted to reduce the allocation of Rp 9.4 billion, including that
for coffee mornings.

The governor is scheduled to officially submit the 2003 budget
proposal, amounting Rp 11 trillion, on Tuesday evening. The
budget is planned to be approved by the Council on Jan. 31.