Legislators' salaries unlikely to be raised
JAKARTA (JP): Five hundred new legislators due to be sworn in when the House of Representatives changes hands next month will unlikely see a raise in pay after their predecessors leave.
House secretary-general Afif Ma'roef said yesterday that no salary hike was proposed.
He explained that as long as the government applied a tight money policy, it would be impossible for him to ask for an increase in legislators' monthly salaries.
"The incoming legislators will earn the same amount of income as their predecessors. It would be very stupid if I suggested a salary hike while the government copes with the monetary crisis," he said after attending a House plenary session.
Afif was referring to the government's policy to combat the effects of the currency turmoil prevailing in Southeast Asian countries in the past two months.
Minister of Finance Mar'ie Muhammad announced Tuesday that Indonesia would suffer a Rp 9.2 trillion (US$3 billion) deficit in its current budget if the government did not cut spending.
Legislators currently earn about Rp 4.8 million a month, excluding extra wages earned while deliberating bills.
House legislators' salaries are paid from the state budget based on the House secretariat's budget proposal.
Some legislators have suggested that new legislators earn twice of what their predecessors earned.
S.G.P. Tampubolon of the Indonesian Democratic Party said legislators should earn Rp 10 million a month if the House was to truly become an independent body.
"Our legislators earn far less than their counterparts in fellow developing countries... for example, Malaysia.
"Salary is just one of many things that determine a quality House, but isn't it prestige-boosting conduct if the House treats government officials or businessmen and not vice versa," said Tampubolon, an outgoing legislator of the budgetary commission.
A legislator currently earns an extra Rp 700,000 per House session, up to Rp 3 million during House recess and an average of Rp 500,000 for an out-of-Jakarta outing.
Legislators have received a varied amount for their participation in bill deliberations, depending on the ministry they work with, Tampubolon revealed.
He said the largest amount he has ever heard of anyone earning in a month was Rp 5 million.
"But there are some legislators who ask for more. Those who master high-level lobbying skills will ask for contracts worth trillions of rupiah from a minister," he said.
A letter from the chairman of Commission X for national development planning, population, and research and technology, M. Muas, said that asking for electronic goods as farewell gifts was the last case to tarnish the House's image. (amd)