TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo claimed he was shocked by the fact that village heads received their salaries once every three months after hearing complaints from one of them in Tuesday’s gathering at Istora Senayan, Central Jakarta.

“I honestly don't know that the salary is paid once every three months. I don't understand it,” said the President at the National Village Gathering by the Indonesian Association of Village Administrations (APDESI) at Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Tuesday, March 29.

Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian was then ordered to immediately change the regulation on the salary of village heads. “We'll immediately change it to a monthly basis,” the state head pledged.

APDESI chairman Surta Wijaya earlier voiced complaints before President Jokowi that the salaries of village heads are often paid once every three months or even more. He compared the salary payment of civil servants which is on a monthly basis

Met after the event, APDESI’s board of trustees chairman Muhammad Asri Anas also said that the salary of a village head per month is only Rp3.2 million and is often paid once every three months. The salary of a village assistant, meanwhile, could reach Rp15 million, he informed.

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