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)