Well, I'm glad I didn't stay up to watch Charlton take on local rivals Crystal Palace last night. I needed my beauty sleep and having to wait until the 93rd minute (at 1.18 am local time) of a dull 90 minute match to see the deciding goal might have made me grin like Inspector Sands, but I'd have felt like shit this morning. Instead I read the match reports online and felt good.
That is until I read this morning's Jakarta Post.
City Councillors want cars, perks
City councillors will start discussing draft bylaws on financial matters for city council leaders and members that will entitle them to numerous facilities, including cars.
Council Speaker Ade Surapriatna (declared wealth Rp.5.79 billion = $6.3 million) is entitled to a Toyota New Crown while his three deputies, including Heriyawan (declared wealth Rp.728 million = $77,000), are entitled to a Toyota Camry each.
The 71 councillors are wanting (sic) the newly launched Toyota Kijang Innova, priced at around Rp.200million ($22,222) This means that the city must provide around Rp.14.2 billion (= $1.5 million) just to provide cars to the councillors.
Admittedly, there are some councillors with very low declared wealth. They do need, let alone deserve, the allowances for health, clothing and housing. However, I'm not sure that there should be attendance allowances; most of us would get fired if we didn't roll up for work. Councillor Arkeno (declared wealth Rp.201 million = $21,000) of the Justice and Prosperous Party (PKS) faction said that he currently receives a salary of Rp.5.9 million as a council member.
I have no information as to whether the councillors have other income sources, but fairly simple arithmetic shows that the average stated wealth of the 75 elected to serve the public, rather than themselves, is Rp.1.327 billion (=$140,000).
Shortly after they were elected, they stated their priorities to the Jakarta Post, as given in this pie chart:
Draw your own conclusions.
