Ministers' benefits 'bigger than salaries'

JAKARTA (JP): New Minister of Home Affairs R. Hartono scoffed at a suggestion that President Soeharto's proposal for ministers to donate their first year's salaries to the poor would open the door to corruption.

He pointed out yesterday that ministers receive allowances and fringe benefits which amount to even more than their basic salaries. The move will therefore not cause any hardship at all.

Besides, Soeharto's request has been calculated to give ministers no reason to tolerate sloppy performance or corruption in their respective offices, he pointed out.

"The ministers' allowances are greater than their basic salaries... they can cover family expenditure with their benefits... no problem," he told reporters after taking over office from his predecessor Moch. Yogie S.M.

In the first meeting of the new cabinet on Tuesday, Soeharto asked ministers to donate their first year's salaries to the poor, declare their personal wealth and pay serious attention to the public's demand for clean and credible governance.

Soeharto himself has decided to donate his entire presidential salary and allowances to the poor, saying he could live comfortably on his soldier's pension.

The President and Vice President's monthly salaries are Rp 15 million (US$1,500) and Rp 10 million respectively. Cabinet ministers, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the chairman of the Supreme Court and the chairman of the Supreme Audit Agency each receive a basic monthly salary of Rp 2.5 million (US$250).

Separately, Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso said he, his deputies and mayors will follow Soeharto's example and donate one year's salary to poverty alleviation programs yesterday.

Sutiyoso said the decision was taken during a meeting of the city administration's top bureaucrats yesterday.

The governor said he would see if echelon IV officials, who number about 1,050 and who earn salaries ranging from Rp 300,000 to Rp 600,000 (US$60) a month, were also required to participate in the campaign.

Echelon IV positions are, among others, city secretary, assistants to the secretary and head of the City Environmental Impact Management Agency.

"For me to donate my salary would be no problem. I have other sources of income because I'm also a director of several companies," Sutiyoso said.

"What's important is that the donations must reach the needy, especially people in slum areas. If the city government was to administer it (the donations), it would be channeled through cooperatives," he said.

Sutiyoso declined to say how much his salary was. "It is my wife who takes care of it, I never bring money with me and I don't want to be bothered by money problems".

Deputy Governor of Welfare Affairs Djailani said that he would gladly comply with the government's suggestion.

If top officials donate their salaries, their subordinates would be expected to join in the noble movement, he said.

Councillor Saud Rachman from Commission D for development affairs said he supported the campaign.

"What's important is that officials donate because they want to do so, not because of pressure from others," he said.

Meanwhile, human rights activist Hendardi said he welcomed the officials' readiness to join the donation campaign, but suggested that the government also seek long-term solutions to the economic crisis.

"The ministers' commitment appears to me to be merely charity," said Hendardi, executive director of the Association for Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Protection.

He said the government should concentrate on reducing leakages in the state budget, rather than pursuing short-term measures.

"Leaks from the state budget could have been used to improve people's welfare instead," he said. (ind/edt/imn)