'President, VP deserve high salary'

JAKARTA: The President and the vice president deserve higher pay in accordance with a law regulating the issue, State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra says.

Under Law No. 7/1978 on the administration of the President and vice president, the President is paid six times the salary of the highest state official under the President, while the vice President receives four times the amount.

Currently, the President's take-home pay is about Rp 70 million (US$7,000) per month while the vice president's is Rp 45 million.

The highest-paid state officials under the President are five leaders of the Corruption Eradication Commission who are paid Rp 40 million each but receive no allowances.

"We can't pay the President and vice president that much because of financial constraints," Yusril said on Wednesday.

He was responding to media reports on the office of Vice President Jusuf Kalla, which proposed his salary be increased to some Rp 160 million. The proposal was later dropped. -- JP