Data Check: Anies Mentions Disparity in TNI-Polri Salary Increases During SBY and Jokowi's Eras, What's the Data Like?

Presidential candidate (Capres) number one, Anies Baswedan, criticized the minimal salary increases for civil servants (ASN) under Joko Widodo's administration.

He made this statement during the third presidential and vice-presidential debate of 2024, themed "Defense, Security, International Relations, and Geopolitics," held at Istora Senayan, Jakarta, on Sunday (7/1/2024).

Anies stated that salary increases for ASN, including the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the National Police (Polri), occurred only three times during Joko Widodo's presidency. Previously, the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) administration implemented nine salary increases.

Citing the Financial Note, since 2005, the SBY administration implemented nine basic salary increases, from 2006 to 2014. Increases during the SBY era even reached 20% in 2008.

Meanwhile, the Jokowi administration increased basic salaries in 2015 and during two election years, 2019 and 2024. The highest increase occurred in 2024, at 8%.

This data refers to Government Regulation Number 15 of 2019 concerning the Eighteenth Amendment to Government Regulation Number 7 of 1977 concerning Civil Servant Salary Regulations. The amendment to PP 7/1977 demonstrates the government's policy to increase civil servant salaries.

The latest amendment to PP 7/1977 is the 18th amendment, which regulates the salary increase for civil servants, including TNI and Polri, in 2019. This PP states that the provisions regarding the salary increase for civil servants are effective from January 1, 2019.

The 17th amendment, or the last amendment before PP 15/2019, is PP Number 30 of 2015, enacted on June 5, 2015, and effective from January 1, 2015. This means that the last salary increase for civil servants before 2019 was in 2015.

Referring to the amendments to PP 7 of 1977, which covers changes to civil servant salaries, including TNI and Polri, there were nine amendments from 2005 to 2014, or since SBY's presidency. Amendments were made in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014.

During Jokowi's administration, the recorded amendments to the PP were twice, in 2015 and 2019. The 19th amendment to the PP, to legally cover the 2024 civil servant salary increase, is currently being drafted, according to Finance Minister Sri Mulyani. "We are working hard to finalize the PP, but don't worry, we will still pay it in full this January, complete for 12 months," she said in a press conference on the State Budget (APBN) KiTa, Tuesday (2/1/2024).

Although seemingly infrequent in raising civil servant salaries, Jokowi started implementing a 14th-month salary in the form of Eid al-Fitr allowance (THR) given before Idul Fitri, equivalent to the basic salary plus allowances. The provision of THR for civil servants, including TNI and Polri, which began in 2016, differs from the 13th-month salary generally given around July-August.