Separation pay not ethical

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