Over 11,000 rebuked for absenteeism

Over 11,000 rebuked for absenteeism

JAKARTA: The government looks certain to rebuke over 11,000
civil servants nationwide for extending their Idul Fitri holiday
arbitrarily and without permission from their superiors, State
Minister of Administrative Reform Feisal Tamin said on Friday.

Feisal said as of Friday, 1,745 civil servants had been
officially reprimanded, with the rest to follow suit.

"It requires administrative procedures to issue the official
reprimands, but it's certain that the number of civil servants
sanctioned will reach 11,000 or more," Feisal said.

Topping the list of absenteeism is the Ministry of Health,
followed by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the Ministry
of Manpower and Transmigration. Feisal had earlier promised to
disclose the names of absentees.

The government ordered all civil servants to take their
holiday leaves from two days before and one day after Idul Fitri,
which fell on Dec. 6 and 7, in an effort to stimulate the
national tourism sector that had hit a slump following the Oct.
12 bomb attack in Bali. The extended holiday was also meant to
curb the absenteeism that had become a common practice during the
first week after Idul Fitri. -- Antara