Councillors to get small rewards

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: Makassar municipality legislative council will not give large severance packages to councillors whose terms end this year.

"Only a small amount will be awarded from the miscellaneous budget," said Suleman bin Darri, a committee member of the household budget at the legislature on Friday.

Suleman said council members would receive small payments as a token of appreciation from the Makassar municipality because they had contributed to developing the city of Makassar over a five- year period.

However, he refused to specify the amount to be paid to the councillors, explaining that the 2004 budget had not been fully discussed.

Andi Erna Noer, a budget committee member from Commission E, admitted that after her 1997-1999 term in office she had received a payment and she expected to receive another this year.

End-of-term payments have been a common trend for regional legislatures for years. During the New Order era, the practice was rarely questioned. -- Antara