Rector joins rally

Rector joins rally

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Gadjah Mada University rector Prof. Ichlasul
Amal joined university officials and staff members in a protest
here on Saturday against the government's plan to increase the
structural allowance of civil servants by more than 1,000
percent.

More than 1,500 university officials, including lecturers and
administrative staffers, gathered on the campus in front of the
Central Building. They shouted and waved posters, some of which
read, "Delay the Structural Allowance" and "Reform is aimed at
giving a prosperous life to people, not officials."

The protest was organized by the Front for Justice and Peace.
All campus activities came to a stop during the action.

In a speech to the protesters, Amal said the government should
restructure the inefficient bureaucracy before increasing the
allowances of government officials.

"Increasing salaries is very much correlated to productivity
and efficiency. With the current structure of the bureaucracy,
increasing the structural allowance will only waste money," he
said.

The head of the university's administrative office, Sutriman,
said that under the government plan he would receive a monthly
allowance of Rp 5 million. He regretted the policy, saying the
money could be used to improve national education.

Amal said the rectors of state universities were not included
in the government's plan.

"Rectors, their deputies and deans will not receive the
allowance," Amal said. (44)