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View all search resultsGenerous housing perks for lawmakers clash with public hardship
The House of Representatives has come under scrutiny after granting its members a Rp 50 million (US$3,054) housing allowance, a benefit critics argue highlights misplaced priorities in a legislature that has struggled to deliver laws and is widely viewed as a government “rubber stamp”.
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An employee counts rupiah bills on March 14 at a money changer in Jakarta.
(Antara/Sigid Kurniawan)
T
he House of Representatives has come under scrutiny over its hefty paychecks, which include the newly introduced Rp 50 million (US$3,054) housing allowance, a benefit critics argue highlights misplaced priorities in a legislature that has struggled to deliver laws and is widely viewed as a government “rubber stamp”.
Public outrage has grown since reports revealed that the monthly income of all 580 lawmakers has surged to around Rp 120 million, comprising Rp 5 million base salary and a string of generous perks covering honoraria, communication, oversight, utilities, taxes, sessions, as well as family and rice allowances, making this legislative term one of the most extravagant in history.
The housing allowance, introduced in September last year through a letter signed by the House’s secretary-general, replaced official residences at the Kalibata housing complex in South Jakarta, which have been handed back to the government.
Officials have argued that the residence, built in the 1980s, was “physically inadequate”, costly to maintain and prone to flooding.
Critics, however, argue that the new allowance is not only excessive but also tone deaf and “insensitive”, coming at a time when much of the public is grappling with rising unemployment, weakened purchasing power and soaring living costs.
Read also: Puan denies salary hike for lawmakers
Public backlash
