Mayor upset over extra holidays

PALU, Central Sulawesi: Mayor Rully Lamadjido was upset after learning that a large number of his staff failed to turn up to a monthly flag-raising ceremony yesterday -- only because they extended their New Year holiday.

Rully could not avoid expressing his anger before hundreds of the mayoralty's employees, saying that he would take punitive measures against the undisciplined staff.

"We cannot tolerate them (to be absent) ... If we just let these things happen, more people will follow suit," Rully was quoted by Antara.

The young mayor said he had asked all division chiefs in his office to list the absentees, including those who went home before working hours ended.

Business activities remained dormant and many government offices were quiet on the second day of the New Year here yesterday.

Government employees in the mayoralty, as well as most parts of the country, work six days a week, six hours per day. (amd)