The new Cabinet Ministers are very lucky compared to ordinary citizens!
That's what I thought when I heard that the ministers, just inducted on 22 October, will get higher salary than their predecessors.
They are very lucky because the global economic & financial crisis has caused many business to stop their operations therefore making many people lost their jobs thus unable to provide financial support for their families. Large number of unemployed people has caused increased in crime rates
Further, those Ministers are also very lucky compared to the victims of the frequent natural disasters that have often struck our country recently.
For details, please click here, here, here and here.
Considering the above and the fact that those ministers will also get free housings, luxurious cars, first class traveling facilities, and many other benefits for very important persons, I wonder whether it is now the right time to increase their salary.
Photo: Courtesy of Kompas.
5 comments:
yups, they're indeed lucky. Sure I will keep in touch and thank you for following my blog. I followed you back as well. If you want we can do exchanging link too. Enjoy the rest of the week. :-)
Harry...
They deserve it, right?
On a less cynical note. The salaries of senior government ministers and leaders of state is always going to be a contentious issue.
However, it is odd that president and cabinet ministers make less money working in the public sector than do their private sector counterparts.
Financial crises or not, the reality is that the president and his ministers are responsible for running a country of more than 230 million and a budget in the trillions of rupiah.
My argument would be not with a rising salary, but with greater accountability. Simply, one has to "earn" the right to a big salary. And, if you do a poor job in your portfolio then you take responsibility for any deficiencies or failures.
I really do not have a problem with people taking home a large pay packet provided that they are doing the work and the results achieved reflect the trust put in them.
@Sam,
Thank you very much. Let's keep in touch. Have a nice weekend.
@Rob,
Basically I agree that president, VP and ministers deserve salary similar to salary of top class businessmen.
But considering the economic & financial conditions, it would be better if the increase is done after they performed for one year.
PS:
If we only see the take home pay and other benefits of a minister than we can say that they got lower than top class businessmen.
But we should also see that the ministers have authorities and privileges which, if they want to, will enable to make them and families & friends get a lot much more.
I've been busy looking around your posts. All very interesting and informative. You are very knowledgeable about your country and its issues. So knowledgeable that I would feel ignorant to even try to comment about them. So, no animosity my friend, only admiration.
Kden,
Thank you very much for your visit and the kind words you left behind.
I am glad that we can be friends.
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