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.