Revision of government rules on civil servants sought
Revision of government rules on civil servants sought
JAKARTA (JP): A senior government official urged on Thursday a
revision to government regulations on civil servants to avoid
payroll and management disputes with the country's 4.5 million
civil servants in the wake of regional autonomy.
"Government Regulations No. 96 to No. 100 which were issued in
November last year stipulate that the regions will be responsible
for the management of civil servants working for them," head of
the National Employee Affairs Agency (BKN) Prijono
Tjiptoherdanto told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
"It turns out that the regions are not prepared and this could
turn into disadvantages for the employees because under the
existing regulations, the regions can make up their own rules for
promotion, transfer and other management matters," he said.
Therefore, BKN submitted a revision to the Presidential Office
last month, urging national civil servant management be handled
by the central government, he said.
No less than 2.3 million civil servants are now being
transferred to the regions, with local administrations
responsible for their management, welfare and salary with funding
provided by the general allocation fund (DAU) from the state
budget.
"We cannot have different standards of promotion, ranking,
pension, transfer and other principle matters affecting civil
servants' salaries. Therefore, it is better that we continue with
a nationwide standard.
"There have been cases where people in the regions were
promoted for no clear reason. Next thing we know the regions will
have different standards and they can send people to early
retirement.
"The regions should have prepared themselves better. Do not
blame the central government alone (for any problems)," Prijono
said.
His office along with the ministry of home affairs and
regional autonomy will meet with all Indonesia governors on Jan.
9 to discuss the transfer of the civil servants.
In Makassar, capital of South Sulawesi, some 7,000 provincial
civil servants were restless because as of Thursday they had not
received their last month's salary.
"Up until today (Thursday), I haven't got my salary, but the
clerk said it would probably arrive tomorrow (Friday). I wonder
if this has something to do with the regional autonomy," Agus, a
civil servant, told the Post.
Several treasurers of the civil servant corps, however, said
that funds for salaries had not yet arrived.
"Usually, it comes on the first day of the month. We were told
the funds have not yet been disbursed," a treasurer who asked not
to be named said.
Among the civil servants yet to receive their pay checks are
those from the Ministry of National Education, Ministry of Health
and Social Welfare and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
In Jakarta, Secretary General of the Ministry of National
Education Hidayat Syarief said that civil servants must not worry
about their salaries.
"Up until March, the salaries will be transferred through all
State Treasury Offices (KPKN) as usual, since preparations for
the new system (which is supposed to be done by the regions) is
not yet ready.
"In the next three months, the regions must come up with
complete listings and data of their employees. As the DAU fund
has not yet fully been disbursed, the ministry of finance will
take care of salaries initially," Hidayat said.
Hidayat said there are a total of 1.8 million employees of the
ministry of national education in the regions, including
elementary school teachers. (edt)