Councillors get Idul Fitri bonuses

BANYUMAS, Central Java: Banyumas councillors, who have often been criticized for their poor performance, have just received an Idul Fitri bonus of Rp 3,250,000 (US$382) each, a councillor has said.

Sutikno, one of the 45 councillors in the Banyumas Regency Council, said on Friday that the bonuses were already allocated by the regency administration in the 2003 regency budget.

But, the granting of the bonus has irked civil servants in the regency. Sumardi, a civil servant here, opposed it, saying that it was unfair.

"We do not receive the bonus although we work harder than them," he said.

Aris Setiono, the regent of Banyumas, had previously informed civil servants in Banyumas that the administration would not give bonuses to civil servants due to a shortage of funds. -- JP