Traunt civil servants to be warned

State Minister for Administrative Reforms Faisal Tamin vowed on Thursday to punish civil servants who extended their vacations after two days of official holidays during this week's Idul Fitri celebrations.

This year's Idul Fitri holidays fell on Dec. 16 and 17, but as of Thursday afternoon most civil servants in Jakarta and many other cities across the country had not yet returned to work.

Tamin criticized delinquent civil servants and ordered their superiors to punish them with warnings.

"If they (employees) were absent on Tuesday, it is still tolerable. But if they were absent until Wednesday or Thursday, they deserve to get a warning," he was quoted by Antara as saying.

He said the government would not allow civil servants to continue their vacations only for leisure.

Tamin was livid on Thursday when he visited the Ministry of National Education at 8 a.m. and saw only eight of some 250 civil servants working. Staff members at the ministry claimed that the remaining employees had been given permission to have extended vacations.

Later he went to the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry for Communications and Information.

In these ministries, Tamin also found many civil servants away from their offices and became very concerned.

After visiting the North Jakarta mayoralty office, the minister also stopped by Jakarta's central post office in Pasar Baru, where officials are required to continue to work two weeks before and after both Idul Fitri and Christmas holidays.

Tamin, who also chairs the Indonesian Civil Servants' Corps (Korpri), said delinquent officials should get a verbal caution. "But in this case I will ask the department heads to issue them a written reprimand," he added.

Faisal stressed that if superiors were reluctant to punish their subordinates who failed to serve the public and return to work, it would put at risk the former's future careers.

"We must dare to take a harsh action. If they (superiors) are unwilling to do their jobs, they need to quit," he said sternly.

It has also been common in Indonesia that many civil servants or private employees are absent from their offices on normal working days between official holidays.

Next Monday, for example, is the Christmas holiday. Many workers and officials are expected to be absent from their offices from Friday until Wednesday.--JP