Legislators' perquisites

Legislators' perquisites

From Kompas

I was baffled by the report on the salary and perquisites of
our representatives published on June 26, 2001 in Kompas.

Apart from receiving a basic salary of Rp 9.7 million, each
member of the House of Representative (DPR)) also receives
furniture, air conditioners, an electric stove, a washing machine
worth Rp 6 million and allowances for renovation.

No wonder if none of them feels the pains of the economic
crises that have been plaguing the people for quite a while! Many
people do not realize that it is the tax payers who are paying
for the representatives' amenities. Ironically, household
expenses that should be borne by the members themselves are being
shouldered by the public, many of whom cannot even afford to buy
soap to wash their clothes.

Under no circumstances, with or without a monetary crisis,
should the people be made to shoulder this burden. The
representatives must pay for their domestic expenses from their
own salary so that they realize how others are managing to make
ends meet.

The legislators should be ashamed of themselves!

LILY P

Tangerang, Banten