Post by : Rameen Ariff

Weeks after large-scale protests over high salaries of lawmakers, Indonesia is facing renewed public anger following a significant increase in parliamentary recess allowances. Lawmakers will now receive 702 million rupiah ($42,400) per recess, almost double the previous 400 million rupiah, according to the country’s deputy house speaker.

The recess allowance is intended to cover expenses for official duties, such as visiting constituents, when parliament is not in session. Earlier protests in August erupted over $3,000 monthly housing allowances for lawmakers, nearly ten times the minimum wage in Jakarta. These allowances were subsequently reduced to calm public outrage, but the new hike has reignited criticism.

Indonesian lawmakers typically take five recesses a year to engage with their electoral districts and gather citizen feedback. Deputy speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad stated that the new allowance accounts for rising costs of food and transport and reflects the increased workload during recess periods. To improve transparency, lawmakers will report their recess spending through a publicly accessible app.

While additional allowances for official duties are common in other countries, such as Australia where electorate allowances range from $25,000 to $37,000 annually, many Indonesians see this increase as a symbol of political elite impunity. Non-profit watchdog Formappi called the hike “another fantastic allowance” after the previous housing allowance was removed, describing it as a breach of public trust.

Some lawmakers also briefly received an extra 54 million rupiah due to a reported clerical error, which was later recovered. Public frustration remains high, with many questioning why the electorate continues to support politicians perceived as disconnected from citizens’ economic realities.

#world news #Global News #Indonesia News