Severance bonus for councillors sparks fury in Samarinda

Severance bonus for councillors sparks fury in Samarinda

Rusman, The Jakarta Post, Samarinda, East Kalimantan

Defying protests from locals, the Samarinda government and
municipality council agreed to pay a severance bonus for
councillors of Rp 25 million each, a councillor confirmed on
Friday.

"The decision was approved a few days ago by the government
and the council," deputy speaker of Samarinda legislative council
R. Yakub said.

There are 45 members on the legislative council, so the
government will have to spend public money totaling Rp 1.125
billion (US$140,625) on severance bonuses for councillors.

The funds are being taken from the municipality's budget this
year.

The payment received by the councillors this year is much more
than that received by their predecessors five years ago. At that
time, councillors received Rp 20 million each in severance bonus.

Yakub countered that there was nothing wrong with paying
severance bonuses. The councillors had worked hard and fought for
the development of Samarinda, and they deserved severance bonuses
at the end of their terms, he said.

The councillors will end their terms in March, one month
before general elections take place on April 5.

"Besides, it is common practice here that councillors are
given severance bonuses at the end of their terms.

The practice has continued for years," he said.

But Sugeng Haryadi, a local public policy observer, said that
the councillors did not deserve the severance bonuses.

They had already been well paid, he said.

Besides, in most cases, the councillors rarely sided in favor
of the people; instead they were a rubber stamp for the Samarinda
municipality government, he added.

Samarinda is not the only town where the payment of severance
bonuses for councillors is made. The practice is widespread
nationwide, and has drawn strong protest from students and other
prodemocracy activists.