Jakarta – Indonesia's newly established State Officials Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN) has requested high salaries and luxury cars for its members, but the government is likely to turn the proposal down, a state minister said.
State Apparatus Minister Ryaas Rasyid said on Tuesday that the commission had proposed to the government a monthly salary of 30 million rupiah (S$6,300) per month and a luxury Toyota Crown sedan per member.
He simply could not "imagine" how the two-month-old KPKPN could request something like that amid the economic crisis, he said. "The state secretariat is expected to turn the proposal down," he added.
The minister said such high salaries are not a guarantee that the new commission would work effectively and its members would not be involved in corrupt practices. The minister said the salary of members of the new commission should be around 12 million rupiah per month.
This is still higher than the salary of a Cabinet minister. "I am paid only 10 million rupiah per month," he said. He also suggested that the government provide modest cars, like Toyota Kijang minivans or others of the same class, to avoid sparking envy among other government agencies or committees.
The commission was appointed by President Abdurrahman Wahid early last month to fulfil one of the preconditions of obtaining the next loan disbursement from the International Monetary Fund.
Its composition has become a subject of controversy after the President decided to appoint only 25 out of the 45 candidates approved by the House of Representatives, on the grounds of efficiency, despite protests by the legislative body. The move has been accepted with disappointment by the House members.
Commenting on a proposal by the House that the commission membership be expanded, the minister said the House should maintain flexibility in evaluating the commission's performance. "The government should maintain the current size. But, if it is considered inadequate to handle its tasks, the commission should be expanded," he said.
The House has called on the government to increase the new agency's membership from the present 25 to 45 to make it more effective in carrying out its mission.