Stay-home civil servants face pay cut

Stay-home civil servants face pay cut

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Medan

High absentee rates on Monday at government offices led to
long queues for people wanting to pay their phone and water
bills, and canceled meetings at the national legislature. Threats
of penalties and inspections, however, seemed effective in making
people show up for work at some offices following the
unprecedented week-long holiday.

People said they had to wait up to 30 minutes to pay their
bills at the Central Jakarta post office, where a large number of
counters are normally open. "This has never happened before,"
said Mifta from Kemayoran, Central Jakarta.

Following the long holiday for civil servants ahead of the
Idul Fitri festivities, top officials found that many were still
absent in a number of offices targeted for random inspection.

"Those who are absent (without good reasons such as official
leave) will definitely be punished," State Minister for
Administrative Reforms Feisal Tamim said at the Jakarta City Hall
after the inspection. Officials have said that penalties would
range from warnings to salary cuts.

"The penalties will certainly have an impact on the careers of
the civil servants concerned," he added.

He said, however, that he was "satisfied" that during the
random checks most civil servants were found to be at their
desks. Full data would be made public next Tuesday, he said.

Feisal was among those who checked the offices of the Ministry
of National Education, the Ministry of Settlements and Regional
Infrastructure, the Assessment and Application of Technology
Agency (BPPT), the Jakarta City Hall, the Central Jakarta
Municipal offices, and the state-run Cipto Mangungkusumo
Hospital.

The long holidays were part of a government effort to avoid
people extending the official holidays without leave.

Also on Monday, Governor Sutiyoso conducted unannounced checks
at the Central Jakarta Municipal offices, and the offices of the
Communications Agency, Parks Agency, Building Supervision Agency
and Public Works Agency.

The visits caused panic among officials and staffers. A staff
member in the Communications Agency said one of her subordinates
was praying in another room. Other staffers said, however, that
she had given him permission to go home before midday.

At several agencies, officials were seen busy calling their
staffers via their cellular phones warning them not to leave the
office for fear of inspections.

Other city agencies also conducted similar inspections. The
head of Inspectorate General at the South Jakarta City Audit
Agency (Bawasko), Budi Satrio, said two inspections would be
carried out.

"We held the first one at 8:30 a.m., and we are going to hold
another inspection at 3:30 p.m."

A civil servants at the Pulo Gadung district office, East
Jakarta, said that he had been informed that "unannounced"
inspections would take place between Monday and Wednesday.

However, the deputy chief executive of the district was not
present as he had to attend a halal bihalal function (a gathering
to ask each other's forgiveness) at the East Jakarta Municipal
offices.

The Pulo Gadung employees appeared relaxed as they sat and
chatted with each other. "It's still quiet as many people who
usually come seeking our services are still on holiday," said
Edi.

A similar situation also prevailed in most government offices
in the North Sumatra capital, Medan.

The administration said that 80 percent of its civil servants
had turned up for the first day back at work.

During a sudden inspection, however, Governor T. Rizal Nurdin
found that only 70 percent of his staff at the Medan City Hall
had showed up for work.

He ordered the issuance of warning letters to the absent civil
servants.

"They may have their salary cut because of this," he told his
dismayed listeners.