Lawmakers pay rise proposal comes under more fire

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.