The 13th month's salary

The 13th month's salary

From Kompas

The House of Representatives has endorsed the 2004 state
budget but, unfortunately, neither the House nor the government
have taken a clear stance about the 13th month's salary -- or the
holiday bonus for civil servants.

A report published in Kompas on Nov. 11 said the finance
minister had stressed this holiday bonus could not be disbursed
in 2003.

It is strange to observe that while, on the one hand, the
government has always pushed private companies to pay their
employees this bonus, it has forgotten to give its own civil
servants this bonus.

When this bonus is paid in 2004, this, in my opinion, would
not be a holiday bonus but, rather, the 13th month's salary that
the government will disburse either in June or July that would
more appropriately be called an educational cost adjustment
allowance.

The government must make a clear decision as to whether it
will give its civil servants a holiday bonus or an educational
cost adjustment allowance. Civil servants working for the Jakarta
administration are lucky to get something similar to a bonus for
the Idul Fitri holiday.

RIZALUDIN SIDQI

Jakarta