Lawmakers pay rise proposal comes under more fire

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The controversial plan to raise the take-home pay of legislators came in for a further round of criticism on Monday, with observers warning the money would end up being abused by unscrupulous politicians or political parties.

House of Representatives members have said additional take- home pay was crucial to improving their performance, including efforts to improve their contact with constituents in regions across the country.

However, House watchdog group Teliti said political parties should be responsible for financing constituent-based activities because they were generally of a political nature.

"The organization that nominates and controls legislators is a party. Therefore, all activities connected to maintaining relations with constituents should be a party's responsibility," Teliti supervisor Amir Karamoy said.

In addition to that, Amir said all legislators at regional and national levels were obliged to give a portion of their take-home pay to their parties for running costs.

"This means that the parties already have the money to pay for the activities of legislators. It would be unfair if the public ends up paying," Amir said.

The House has proposed in the 2006 state budget that the take- home pay of its 550 members be increased by between 80 percent and 100 percent.

If approved, the House speaker and three deputies would each receive at least Rp 81 million (US$8,350) a month and House members would get about Rp 50 million.

Several legislators have revealed they pay up to 40 percent of their salaries in fees to their parties, which they said made it difficult for them to finance activities, including lobbying and traveling to the regions.

Amir said the proposal to increase the take-home pay was a move by political parties to collect extra funds for this year's regional elections and the 2009 general election.

Masdar Farid Mas'udi, leader of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country's largest Muslim organization, questioned the timing of the plan.

"At a time when the people are struggling to survive day by day; people who lack food, health services and good educations, their supposed representatives are busy doubling their salaries," said Masdar.

He warned that public outrage would grow unless a thorough and transparent review was made of the proposal.

"Don't blame others if the people turn to anarchy in response to what the House members are doing," Masdar said.