Legislators' drivers underpaid

It is rather ironic that legislators who have fought to raise the minimum wage for workers pay their drivers below minimum wage.

This fact came to light on Wednesday, when drivers employed by legislators in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) said they were paid between Rp 300,000 (US$33) and Rp 450,000 a month, with an additional Rp 15,000 a day for meals.

The official government minimum wage for Jakarta is Rp 590,000 a month.

There are hundreds of drivers employed by the MPR's 674 members.

One of the drivers, Kadir, who works for a legislator from the Golkar Party, said his boss would just hire a new driver if he asked for a raise.

"There are no contracts here. They can simply dismiss us if we disagree with our salary," Kadir, a father of nine, said.

Only a few drivers, including those for the Assembly speaker and deputy speakers, said they were paid above the official minimum wage. --JP