Speaker supports pay hike proposal

Speaker supports pay hike proposal

JAKARTA: House of Representatives Speaker Agung Laksono
defended on Wednesday the proposal to increase the salaries of
House members by some Rp 15 million (US$1,612) each, saying the
current salary was insufficient to cover their operational
expenses.

He said legislators often had to spend their current salary of
Rp 16 million each on operational items connected with their job
as the people's representatives, including visits to their
constituents.

Agung suggested that the government allocate a huge portion of
government funds for law enforcement to increase the lawmakers'
salaries. -- JP