Councillors likely to get land, cars

Councillors likely to get land, cars

JAKARTA (JP): Despite widespread public disproval, the city
administration has apparently bowed to councillors demands and
allocated them Rp 40.43 billion (US$4.5 million) of the 2000 City
Budget to buy land and cars.

The funds have been disguised as "welfare" for the city
council's "secretariat employees".

Councillor Amarullah Asbah of the Golkar Party admitted that
the money had been allocated for the welfare of councillors and
not for council secretariat employees.

Most of the money is to subsidize the purchase of land and
vehicles for councillors, Amarullah told The Jakarta Post on
Wednesday evening.

"Actually, the allocation of the money has violated no rules
and we have only asked for as much as we need, no more than
that," Amarullah said.

"The fund will be used for the purchase of plots of lands and
other 'welfare allowances' for us, the councillors," he said.

According to the (March-December) 2000 City Budget, Rp 380
million from the Rp 40.43 billion will be used for the welfare of
secretariat employees, while the rest will go to councillors.

However, another part of the budget also allocates Rp 14
billion for councillor welfare, such as medical expenses,
official trip expenses and other allowances.

No councillors wanted to comment on the matter.

Many people have questioned the councillors ethics, who have
been at their posts for some seven months, for asking for such
facilities.

A few months ago councillors asked to be given a plot of land
valued at Rp 200 million (US$23,255) and a car worth Rp 90
million.

Staff at the city administration have disclosed, however, that
many of the councillors plan to take the cash instead of the land
or cars should their proposal be fulfilled.

City Council speaker Edy Waluyo has claimed that even if they
were allowed to receive the land and cars, they would have to pay
for them in installments. The payments would be deducted from
their monthly salaries.

Aside from a monthly wage of Rp 6 million, city councillors
can bring home extra earnings of at least Rp 4 million per month
from various bonuses, none of them performance related. (dja)