Councillors get Rp 5m Idul Fitri bonus

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: Samarinda legislative council planned to present each councillor with an Idul Fitri bonus this year amounting to Rp 5 million (US$625), an official said on Friday.

"All 45 councillors are slated to receive the bonus, which will be paid one week before the Idul Fitri holiday," said Rusman Ya'qub, the deputy head of Samarinda legislative council.

Idul Fitri falls on Nov. 25 and Nov. 26.

Rusman said that the amount was much greater than last year's bonus, which stood at Rp 3 million.

He said that a larger amount was being paid to the councillors due to the increased price of basic commodities in the municipality.

Councillors are paid on a monthly basis, apart from other benefits that they usually receive, including housing and cars.

The money allocated to them has come from the municipality or regency annual budget. -- JP