President says pay hike intended for future

JAKARTA (JP): Amid a public outcry, President Abdurrahman Wahid said on Monday he would not propose a massive pay hike for top state officials in the 2000 draft state budget.

However, he stopped short of saying the plan had been scrapped and left it open for future consideration. The draft budget will be submitted to legislators on Thursday.

At a specially convened media briefing at Bina Graha presidential office, Abdurrahman said the planned raise was merely a projection for when the country's economy had recovered.

Accompanied by Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industry Kwik Kian Gie, Minister of Finance Bambang Sudibyo and Cabinet Secretary Marsilam Simajuntak, the President lamented that the welfare of civil servants of all levels could not be improved through a raise.

"In other words, civil servants from the lowest level up to the President cannot enjoy the ideal level. But that is no problem because the state condition is still like this."

It became known in recent days that the government was set to propose a 20 percent across-the-board raise in the salaries of civil servants, military and police personnel.

An uproar ensued when it was leaked that higher pay increases were planned for top state officials.

The President's monthly salary would reportedly be raised from Rp 33 million (US$4,580) to Rp 107.4 million in April.

The Vice President's gross monthly pay would increase to Rp 89.5 million from Rp 22.04 million.

Cabinet ministers, the chief justice of the Supreme Court and military chiefs would receive gross monthly pay of Rp 44.75 million from their current Rp 5.6 million.

Members of the House of Representatives, Supreme Court justices and key officials at the Supreme Audit Agency would have their salaries increased from Rp 5.5 million to Rp 27.6 million a month.

Bambang described the plan as a "simulation" which the government had no intention of including in the draft budget.

"It is merely a simulation, and we have so many simulations in my office... I don't know how such a list was circulated among the public, then provoking the uproar," Bambang said.

"The list (of salary hikes) is not a part of the budget draft document. It will not be included in the draft."

His disavowal contradicted earlier comments of some of his colleagues.

The President expressed hope of more conducive economic times.

"If the economy improves or booms, our income will automatically improve too," he said. (prb)