Asking Officials To Have A Sense Of Crisis During A Pandemic, Jokowi Even Disobeys Through Ex-Wamen Bonus Of IDR 580 Million

Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives from the PAN faction Guspardi Gaus (Photo: DPR RI Youtube)

JAKARTA - Member of the House of Representatives from the PAN faction, Guspardi Gaus, criticized Presidential Regulation (Perpres) 77/2021 regarding the second amendment to amendment 60/2012 regarding the Deputy Minister (Wamen) signed by President Joko Widodo.

The reason is, one of the points of the Presidential Regulation states that the Deputy Minister whose term of office has been completed will receive an award or bonus of a maximum of IDR 580 million. According to Guspardi, this provision is not appropriate to be issued during the COVID-19 pandemic like this.

"Because of what? Let alone award money, money for the benefit of programs and activities of ministries, institutions, provincial, district and city budgets, it is requested to refocus on activities for the COVID-19 pandemic," said Guspardi in his statement, Friday, August 3.

Guspardi assessed that the decision was also not directly proportional to the president's instructions which asked all parties to have a sense of crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"So it would be better if the award money was diverted to handling COVID-19 or helping people exposed to COVID-19," said the member of Commission II of the DPR.

This PAN politician asserted that giving a bonus of IDR 580 million per former deputy minister could hurt the feelings of people who are experiencing difficulties. Guspardi then questioned the sense of crisis, the principle of justice, and the concern of the government regarding the Presidential Regulation.

"On the one hand, the president stated that we should have a sense of crisis. So it is contrary to the president's recommendation during speeches for ministers, state officials, and regional heads," he said.

Meanwhile, the Special Staff of the Minister of State Secretary (Staffsus Mensesneg), Faldo Maldini said that Jokowi's decision to give the bonus money was reasonable.

According to him, the Rp580 million fund was given as a form of appreciation for the vice minister who has taken care of all the people of Indonesia.

"This is an appreciation for people who have taken care of millions of Indonesian people," he said.