Councilors want salary hike

JAKARTA (JP): City councilors are proposing a hike in their salaries in the city budget (APBD) for the 2000 fiscal year from April 1 to Dec. 31.

Chairman of council's Commission C on the city budget, Amarullah Asbah, said the councilors would also revise the 1997 Bylaw No. 1, which regulates remuneration of city councilors, in line with the proposal.

"The 1997 bylaw is already obsolete because the current conditions have changed drastically. The hike is also important to improve the quality of councilors in anticipation of regional autonomy," Amarullah said.

He gave no details on their proposal.

Each councilor receives a monthly salary of about Rp 6 million (US$900), compared to Rp 4 million under the previous budget.

Other benefits and dispensations bring the value to about Rp 10 million. (05)