Government cuts allowances for its researchers

Government cuts allowances for its researchers

JAKARTA (JP): The government has decided to cut the allowances
it pays researchers at ministries and state-run research
institutions.

The chairman of the Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI),
Soefjan Tsauri, announced yesterday that researchers have been
asked to decide if they wanted an allowance in line with their
position or in line with their function.

They must therefore choose to be paid as either government
officials or as researchers, but not both.

Soefjan said the ruling is retroactive to January, and
institute researchers will have to refund the allowance included
in last month's pay.

He said the institution found the decision harsh and feared
that it could affect the work of his staff.

He did not elaborate.

The low pay offered by the government to researchers has made
it difficult for the institution and other state research
agencies to entice the brightest graduates to work there. Some
research agencies have complained about the brain-drain to the
private sector.

"LIPI has already asked the government to reconsider its
decision," Soefjan said.

He said he did not know the reason behind the ruling.

"Maybe the government is cutting back on expenses," he
offered.

The decision affects the employees' take home pay but not
their careers as researchers or government officials.

"They can still be promoted in both fields," he said.

Soefjan said the institute is having problems getting its
staff to refund last month's allowances, especially with Idul
Fitri coming up. Most private sector workers, in contrast, are
getting their 13th month salary.

"It doesn't seem fair that other people are getting extra
income while our staff is cutting theirs," Soefjan said.

The institute's former deputy chairman, Aprilani Soegiarto,
said the allowances meant a lot to the researchers, given their
low pay as civil servants.

Institute researchers received monthly functional allowances
of between Rp 100,000 and Rp 860,000 and structural allowances of
up to Rp 500,000. There are 4,500 researchers working for the
government, including 759 at the institute. (31)