Officials' salaries

Officials' salaries

From Pikiran Rakyat

As a rural layman, a television report on Jan. 15, 2000, really caught me by surprise when it stated that the salaries of government officials would be raised by hundreds of times.

The president will earn Rp 120 million a month, the vice president Rp 110 million, a minister Rp 47 million and a member of the House of People's Representatives Rp 27 million.

Reportedly, these increases have been included in the draft state budget and will come from loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

I really cannot understand why finance minister Bambang Sudibyo had the heart to announce this matter to the public. Everybody knows that our people are generally in great difficulty as salaries have not increased while the prices of daily necessities have soared.

Low-level employees in private companies earn enough to feed their families for only 10 days. Obviously, the only thing left for the common people to do is to keep tightening their belts.

In the meantime, the number of poor people keeps increasing. Many of our people, without the knowledge of government apparatuses, may have died of starvation.

On the one hand, a killing spree is going on in Maluku. On the other, our minister has proudly announced a raise in the salaries of government officials. This serves only to prove that government officials, regardless of who they are, only think about their own interests and tend to be avaricious.

When President Abdurrahman Wahid announced the lineup of his Cabinet, finance minister Bambang Sudibyo was appointed his present position because of his honest and corruption-free character traits. Now that he has announced this spectacular raise in the salaries of government officials, must we continue to think favorably of him?

It is true that the President has given his nod to this salary increase. The problem now is whether or not our ministers handling economic, financial and industrial affairs have a conscience. Why can't they say "No" to the President about matters which may only burden the people?

If they do not take the side of the people, what will then become of this country?

I -- and I believe many people will agree with me in this respect -- therefore now take the liberty to call on the government to postpone the realization of the plan to increase the salaries of government officials until our economy has been restored and people can again lead a decent life.

Everybody knows that the common people are very poor now. Just imagine that to buy a pair of shoes, which I will wear to go to work, is something I have to consider many times because I also have to consider the need to feed my family.

To me, a salary of Rp 27 million a month for a House member (if it is realized) is indeed extraordinary. I myself have never seen such an amount of money. So, is this what we should call justice and fairness? One thing to remember, House members have yet to do their best.

D. SUKSENTO

Bandung, West Java