Riau councillors demand bonuses

Puji Santoso, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru

Riau councillors, who have been in office for barely two months, have demanded Idul Fitri bonuses, as the annual holiday is only four days away.

Senior councillor Chaidir acknowledged on Wednesday that several councillors had spoken to him recently about the bonuses, which had been included in the council budget this year. According to the budget, each councillor is entitled to Rp 17.5 million (US$1,861) as an Idul Fitri bonus.

But, Chaidir, the speaker of Riau Provincial Legislative Council, told them that the council could not disburse the bonuses without the approval of the minister of home affairs.

Chaidir explained that the secretary to the provincial council had earlier sent a letter to the home minister, asking him whether the bonus fund could be disbursed.

But, the minister has not given a formal response to date, leaving the councillors in limbo. "We need formal approval from the minister to avoid possible prosecution," said Chaidir, referring to corruption charges currently being faced by many councillors nationwide.

The Riau provincial councillors have apparently learned from earlier corruption charges leveled at fellow councillors, including councillors in Kampar regency, another regency in Riau province.

Forty-five Kampar councillors were named suspects after they accepted Rp 25 million each in gratuity payments at the end of their term from the regency's budget.

The gratuity payment had no legal basis, and neither did it have the approval of the home minister, prompting local activists to report the councillors to the prosecutor's office.

The prosecutors followed up the report and charged the Kampar councillors with graft. The trial is currently underway.

Separately, Pekanbaru residents demanded that the home minister reject the provincial council's proposal for Idul Fitri bonuses.

Local resident Dharma Hutajulu said that the councillors had received more than decent perks so that it was unethical for them to demand more money. Each councillor earns some Rp 10 million to 15 million a month, not including facilities such as housing and a car, far above local standards.

"The minister should not approve the proposal. The councillors should pay more attention to the interests of the people rather than their own narrow interests," Dharma said.

Chief of the Prosperous Justice Party faction at the provincial council, Nurdin, said that his faction would reject the bonuses if the home minister rejected the request. "If there is no strong legal basis for the bonus, we will certainly reject it," said Nurdin.