Puditry: A give-and-take business

Puditry: A give-and-take business

By Devi M. Asmarani and Ahmad Junaidi

JAKARTA (JP): What some people perceive as success may not
reflect the perception of others.

That concludes one property expert's job philosophy.

"In terms of accumulating wealth, I may be far behind my
peers, but my knowledge has accelerated since I decided to quit
being an employee," Panangian Simanungkalit says.

Before he became known as an authority on property, Panangian
spent seven years working for a foreign property consulting
company.

A fling with the media in the early 1990's marked the
beginning of his career as an observer in a sector he shared so
much passion for.

Back then he succeeded in convincing several local business
magazines to uncover what he saw as a threat of overinvesting in
the property industry.

"The press is my bridge of departure from the professional
world to the world of observer," he recalls.

Less than a decade later he has founded and owns two property
consulting companies, a property agency, one center of property
studies, and the Indonesian Property Institute of Technology.

His earnings have soared since the salary days ("my living
cost is linear, I don't play golf or have exotic hobbies"), his
face often graces the TV screen, he sells ideas and knowledge to
his students and listeners at seminars, and he is the celebrated
pride of relatives.

He lives a "stress-less life" ("I only get depressed when
thinking of this country"), and takes pride in having never
indulged in graft practices.

"My self-esteem springs from the fact that I've never
colluded, unlike those who own many cars. I believe I have come
to full self-actualization," he says.

Now who wouldn't want to live like him?

It is an intriguing life whether you're a sassy academic with
a fashionable suit complete with the secretary scarf like Sri
Mulyani or an ironic economist piercing the government with quips
like Hartojo Wignjowijoto or a witty intellectual talk show host
like Wimar Witoelar.

But our curiosity remains: how does Sri Mulyani afford those
branded outfits on a civil servant's salary as a professor in
University of Indonesia (UI). How come Wimar drives a BMW? What
will Sjahrir do now that he's announced retirement from the
punditry business?

Let's see.

Sri Mulyani runs UI's Institute for Economic and Social
Research, a profitable consultancy. Wimar, besides the talk show,
owns the communication firm PT Inter Matrix, and Sjahrir owns
several companies including PT Sjahrir Securities.

They are not alone, most economists run their own consulting
company.

Hartojo Wignjowijoto owns the Asia Pacific Economic Indonesia
Kreasi Indonesia, Rizal Ramli, Laksamana Sukardi and other
economists formed the Econit Advisory Group, the latter also runs
his own ReFORM Consulting.

But aside from assisting companies, these so-called experts,
are also some of the most often heard speakers in various public
forums in the country.

Some of them would try to convince you that the money out of
seminars and workshops is not significant.

"I make a rule of not making money an issue when I'm invited
to speak in a seminar," says automotive observer Suhari Sargo.

But he mentions the Rp 250,000 (US$28.4) that event organizers
normally give him, a paltry figure compared to some high-profile
figures.

Hari Ganda, the managing director of the Institute of
Management Education and Development (LPPM) says his company pays
experts between Rp 2.5 million and Rp 5 million each, depending
on their prominence and the events' participants.

But most much sought after experts like Sri Mulyani, Wimar and
market analyst Theo Toemeon could earn between Rp 4 million to Rp
8 million per event, sources said.

Panangian says he gets paid Rp 5 million per seminar, up from
the Rp 2 million average he told The Jakarta Post about late last
year.

The practice of paying them, however, most often seems a bit
shady.

Many experts do not impose charges on event organizers out of
pride. But they do get envelopes containing what is known by the
euphemism "transport money" at the end of the event. Some say
this is to evade tax hassles.

Hari is quick to point out that LPPM pays its experts openly.

"We do not call the payment a transportation fee or anything
else. It's strictly business," he says.

In television this envelope culture also exists.

Riza Permadi, the host of SCTV's 'Dibalik Berita' ('Behind the
News') talk show admits that guests at his show and the TV's
afternoon and evening news receive an "insignificant transport
fee".

Inside sources estimate the amount for guests on the evening
news at around Rp 500,000. Not bad for about 10 minutes
conversation.

Television works magic in promoting people, so says Andreas
Ambesa, Indosiar's public relations executive says, commenting on
Wimar, who hosts the Selayang Pandang talk show.

"He's pretty negotiable in terms of money, but you have to
remember that he has an interest in it too to promote himself,"
he says.