Councillors give away 'bonus money' at rally

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor

Three Bogor councillors from the Justice Party (PK) presented to party chairman Hidayat Nur Wahid a total of Rp 300 million (US$34,884) they claimed to have received as end-of-term bonuses during a campaign rally in Tanah Sareal district, Bogor, on Monday.

"Each councillor whose term is ending soon received Rp 100 million and we handed it over to the party chairman," said councillor Ahmad Ru'Yat, who along with Iwan Suryawan and Nuruzzaman presented the money to Hidayat on the sidelines of a rally attended by thousands of people.

Hidayat in turn gave the money to PK Bogor branch officials, who said they would distribute the Rp 300 million to local farmers.

However, other members of the Bogor Council said they only received Rp 50 million in bonuses for the end of their terms.

Councillor Dedi Supriadi of the National Mandate Party (PAN) denied councillors received Rp 100 million.

"Earlier this month, all 45 members of the Bogor Council, including myself, received a Rp 50 million bonus. I don't know where the extra Rp 50 million came from," he said.

Councillor Eman Sulaeman of the United Development Party (PPP) agreed.

"We only received a Rp 50 million bonus for the end of our term, not Rp 100 million."

The two also disapproved of the PK councillors' decision to give up their bonuses, particularly during a political rally.

"If the PK councillors wanted to return the money to the people, they could have handed it over directly to the people. It is a political game giving away the money in front of the crowd," Dedi said.

"I do not agree with their actions. If they wanted to return the money, they should have given it directly to the people, not to the party members," Eman said.