Tangerang Mayor Wahidin Halim has authorized city employees to use official cars for personal travel during the Idul Fitri holiday—despite a recent ban of the practice by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)
angerang Mayor Wahidin Halim has authorized city employees to use official cars for personal travel during the Idul Fitri holiday—despite a recent ban of the practice by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
“Officials have to use official cars for official tasks and they are also allowed to use them for maintaining relationships with relatives during the Idul Fitri holidays,” Wahidin said Monday, adding that he had previously authorized personal use of city vehicles in lieu of an Idul Fitri bonus.
Wahidin said all city officials and civil servants must resume work on Sept. 14 and those who did not would be fired.
According to the mayor, the administration had arranged annual joint leave this year for the holiday from Sept. 9 to 13.
Wahidin said all subdistrict and district chiefs must intensify sanitation after the recent discovery of a dengue fever case in the municipality.
“Subdistrict and district chiefs must be a good model for civil servants and must not complain when community members need solutions to problems they are facing,” he said.
The personal use of state vehicles is also problematic for the Jakarta administration.
An gubernatorial decree bans the use of official cars for private matters, including for those who mudik, or return home for the Idul Fitri holiday.
Under the regulations, an officer who wants to use official vehicle for any trip outside the city must have an assignment letter and approval from the division head.
There are no clear sanctions for those who violate the policy.
“The gubernatorial decree doesn’t mention a clear rule, but the Inspectorate will study the case first, if any,” Inspectorate secretary Agus Sutrisno told The Jakarta Post.
He said that there had been no report of official vehicle misuse in the past years.
Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) representative Febri Diansyah said using official vehicles to mudik could be categorized as corruption because official property was being misused for personal purposes.
“Local administrations have to have a strict policy. Sanctions should be clear, such as demotion or a delay in salary increase,” he said.
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