Councillors to get small rewards

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