Separation pay not ethical

The pros and cons about the decision to give separation pay worth Rp 150 million to each of the outgoing members of the House of Representatives have led to polemics with various assumptions and allegations being exposed in our mass media, all basically questioning the reason of the government to make this decision while the country is still gripped by the deep economic crisis. This decision is not appropriate because these legislators or people's representatives are not employees of a company. We usually talk about separation or severance pay in the context of a layoff. When one becomes a member of the House of Representatives one assumes a political position because one represents and is elected by the people.

Therefore if there is now a decision to give separation pay to these outgoing legislators, both at the central and regional levels, this is really unethical, or at least, this decision is not in line with the aspirations of the people who have elected them.

Despite the pros and cons, the separation pay is sure to be given to outgoing legislators. The amounts of this separation pay vary from one region to another, ranging between Rp 5 million to Rp 40 million per person (in some regions plus a subsidy to purchase a Timor automobile).

However, it is the decision of giving Rp 150 million to each outgoing legislators that has come most under the spotlight. Pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 47/1999 each legislator will get Rp 150 million. This means that the government must make available a total of Rp 75 billion. Our question is whether or not these outgoing legislators really deserve such a big amount of money for their separation pay, especially considering that the country is still in the grip of a deep economic crisis.

The reply is that only the present government knows what lies behind all this.

SETYAWAN ROMADI

Jakarta