'Longest Idul Fitri holiday in world' under questioned

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia enjoys the longest Idul Fitri holiday in the world so House of Representatives Speaker Agung Laksono has asked the government to review its policy on holiday seasons.

"The government needs to conduct an audit to determine the benefits and losses around the Idul Fitri holiday for the (sake of the) national economic condition," Agung said.

Agung said other countries held their Idul Fitri holiday for no more than four days.

"The 10-day break is the longest holiday in the world," he said.

"Many industry players have complained about a decrease in productivity due to the holiday."

The end of Idul Fitri festivities should have seen most government employees return to work Monday -- but officials at the State Ministry for Administrative Reforms ran surprise inspections on state offices just to make sure.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday received at the Merdeka Palace his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas, who arrived in Jakarta on Sunday to hold bilateral meetings Monday.

Susilo was accompanied to the meetings by Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Aburizal Bakri, Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirayuda and National Police chief Gen. Sutanto.

South of the Medan Merdeka square, Vice President Jusuf Kalla held a surprise inspection to find most chairs at the Vice Presidential Office already filled.

Kalla's secretary Tursandi Alwi said more than 90 percent of government employees working in office returned to work Monday.

"Officials who are absent have secured permits," he told Antara.

Kalla's special deputy for people's welfare Azyumardi Azra and deputy for economic affairs Tirta Hidayat were still out of town.

State Minister for Administrative Reforms Taufik Effendi carried out surprise inspections on several offices, including the South Jakarta Mayoralty office, state-run Persahabatan hospital and Gambir district office in Central Jakarta.

Taufik said his office had dismissed 500 civil servants in the last two years due to poor performance.

"Many of these dismissed officials were too lazy to come to their offices," he said.

The minister's deputy for accountability affairs M Rusdi paid a visit to the Attorney General's Office (AGO) in South Jakarta.

"Most of the officials were at their office on Monday," he said.

The AGO said it would impose firm sanctions against officials who did not return to work after the Idul Fitri holiday.

Most private enterprises and state offices resumed work Wednesday.

Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal said the number of holiday makers for this year's Idul Fitri reached 11.4 million -- a five percent increase from 2006.