JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – The Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) is questioning the decision of the central government, through the Ministry of Education & Culture, to disburse Rp4 trillion of unpaid certification allowances for school teachers, covering 2010-2013 period, on April 9, the day of the legislative election.
As quoted by Tempo on Tuesday (April 8), Febri Hendri, a researcher from ICW, accused that the disbursement of unpaid certification allowances for school teachers on the election day would benefit the ruling Democratic Party.
But Minister of Education & Culture Muhammad Nuh denied the accusation and revealed there is no political motive behind the timing of the disbursement.
Nuh argued that the government has regularly disbursed the ceritification allowance for teachers every year on April 9-16.
Other than certification allowances for school teachers, previously, the central government has been criticized for disbursing social aid funds during the elections. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has urged the President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s administration to stop the disbursement of social aid funds.
For 2014, the government has allocated Rp91.8 trillion for social aid funds, substantially increased from Rp55.86 trillion initially set on the 2014 state budget. (haryantos@yosefardi.biz)