Legislators' salaries unlikely to be raised
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)