A Fuss About Increasing Salaries And Allowances For The DKI DPRD, Ahok: The Result Of Not Being Transparent

Former Governor of DKI Jakarta Basuki Tjahaja Purnama alias Ahok (Photo: Diah / VOI)

JAKARTA - Former Governor of DKI Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, has voiced a voice regarding the proposed increase in salaries and allowances for DKI Jakarta DPRD members in the annual work plan (RKT) for the 2021 budget year. He admits that he is worried about this plan.

Even Ahok, the nickname of Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, even summoned one of the members of the DKI DPRD from the PDIP faction, Ima Mahdiah. Ima has been a member of the BTP Team since Ahok became the Governor of DKI.

"Ima, I ask you to come. Because to be honest, the issue of the DKI Regional Budget has damaged, angered the people," Ahok said in his Youtube account, Call Me BTP, which was uploaded on Sunday, December 6.

To Ahok, Ima explained that the DPRD had decided not to increase their salaries and allowances in 2021. This nominal amount is still equivalent to the income in 2020.

"For salaries and allowances, this one month amounted to Rp73 million from all, such as job allowances to rice allowances. So, there is no increase in salary and allowances like those (circulating) on social media," explained Ima to Ahok.

Meanwhile, regarding the news that previously developed that reportedly reached Rp. 173 million per month or Rp. 2 billion per year, this is not a final figure. In the end, the DPRD decided not to increase the budget.

In response to this, Ahok concluded a problem that had occurred. He said the DPRD's revenue was questionable because there was no transparency in the nominal budget in the draft DKI Regional Budget that was disclosed to the public.

"So, how much income during the DPRD? Because (budget transparency) has never been published. My hope is that this kind of income should always be posted on the website so that the public can see," said Ahok.

For information, some time ago the increase in the RKT for the DKI DPRD in 2021 is being questioned. Initially, the preparation of this budget increase went cool without rejection from all factions. Until finally, one faction, namely PSI, expressed its opposition at the end.

Member of the PSI DPRD DKI Jakarta Fraction, August Hamonangan, explained his reason for participating in the meeting to discuss the special committee on the increase in the annual work plan budget (RKT) of the DKI DPRD.

During the RKT discussion, the PSI faction in the DPRD did not show any rejection because it still submitted the results of the discussion meeting to the DPW and DPP parties.

Until finally, PSI suddenly conveyed the rejection of the RKT increase in the general view of the factions at the plenary session of the General Budget Policy and Temporary Budget Ceiling Priority (KUA-PPAS).

"Until there is a general view at the plenary session, we say we reject, disagree with the increase in DPRD revenue in the RKT," said August on Thursday, December 3.

Based on the working paper before being evaluated by the Chairman of the DPRD, the total direct income received by each member of the DKI DPRD per month is IDR 173,249,250 or IDR 2,078,991,000 per year. If this is multiplied by 106 members of the DKI DPRD, the total direct income for all members of the DKI DPRD in a year is Rp 220,373,046,000.

In total, the RKT for each DPRD member reaches Rp. 8,383,791,000. This budget is direct income in the form of salaries and allowances, indirect income, as well as socialization and recess costs. So, if this is multiplied by 106 members of the DKI DPRD from all factions, it takes a budget of IDR 888,681,846,000 in one year.

Denying this, the Chairperson of the DKI Jakarta DPRD, Prasetio Edi Marsudi, emphasized that his party had evaluated the draft annual work plan (RKT) for council members in the 2021 budget year.

That way, all the nominal salaries, allowances, and socialization of the DKI DPRD in 2021 will remain the same as in 2020.

"I evaluate all of that, we don't have any (increases). Now, as the leader of the DPRD members, I say that everything is evaluated and returns to the 2020 APBD," said Prasetio.

Prasetio emphasized that the increase in salaries and allowances for each DPRD member which was initially reported to have reached Rp. 173 million per month or Rp. 2 billion per year is not a final figure. In the end, the DPRD decided not to increase the budget.