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Leaked public payroll creates uproar over need for reform
By Wu Guangqiang |
December 28, 2010, Tuesday
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Print Edition
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A FEW days ago, a post on the web titled "the highest salary for civil servants" drew wide attention.
The post disclosed a payroll sheet that showed the average income for the staff at the Shenzhen Residential Leasing Management and Service Center, a public institution, was about 300,000 yuan (US$45,140) a year, or 23,469 yuan a month.
The highest annual salary ran to 680,000 yuan.
That is far higher than that of many companies and government agencies in Shenzhen.
According to official data, in 2008, the monthly average salary for fully employed staff and workers in Shenzhen is 3,621 yuan.
The center lost no time in responding, saying the leaked sheet had been an internal "draft" for approval and had already been rejected by the management. A new plan was under review, it said.
The center, without citing specifics, insisted that their actual income was indeed higher than that of some businesses or public institutions but lower than what the post showed.
In response to the center's argument, the whistle-blower leaked more evidence to refute its denial. The new details covered a wide range of benefits and subsidies from toilet articles, tea and fruit to clothing, meals, medicine and even gasoline - anything conceivable. And the total expenses came to an enormous sum.
Monopoly
The City Housing and Construction Bureau that administers the center has promised to look into the matter and release the result of the investigation when it becomes available.
The overwhelming attention to the little payroll sheet - and strong skepticism about in the official explanation - reflect an underlying concern: What should be done to do away with the stark institutional injustice behind the unfair wealth distribution?
The Shenzhen Residential Leasing Management and Service Center is a public institution responsible for leasing, maintaining and managing affordable housing, low-cost housing and government housing, according to its official website.
In other words, it is a property management agent run by the government, which is supposed to operated like any other one in the highly competitive market. Relying on the resources acquired through the governmental monopoly, however, some people secure profits much higher than the market level and therefore enjoy effortless income. This is an utter waste of public resources, a stunning case of institutional corruption and flagrant sabotage of fair competition, which doesn't sit well with the public and is the source of ascending public discontent and resentment.
Over the years, public grievance has been building up over the worsening corruption and privilege of the handful in power and in control of social and economic resources.
While the masses are suffering from runaway inflation and deprived of the means to own a small apartment as a result of the soaring housing prices, some public servants are moving into villas barely costing them anything or traveling around the world on public expense.
Some even throw millions of yuan, often embezzled public funds, like dirt in overseas casinos. All this is way out of line and has worn away public tolerance!
Reform urgent
Shiye danwei, or a public institution, is a freak organization that combines administrative powers and business functions. In many cases, such a unit serves as a means by some officials to seek financial benefits as well as a tool of corruption. When it comes to efficiency and service quality, it is a far cry from satisfactory.
There should be no delay in reforming public institutions. There must be a clear-cut division between administrative and business affairs, with governmental agencies taking care of the former and enterprises the latter.
Public revenue and expenses must be made transparent and used under close public scrutiny. Services such as housing rental and management should be subject to full and free competition rather than being run by semi-official or official institutions.
Only by reforming irrational and distorted social structures, can such erratic "highest salary" phenomenon be eradicated and real social harmony be achieved.
(Wu Guangqiang, 56, is an English tutor and freelancer in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province.)
The post disclosed a payroll sheet that showed the average income for the staff at the Shenzhen Residential Leasing Management and Service Center, a public institution, was about 300,000 yuan (US$45,140) a year, or 23,469 yuan a month.
The highest annual salary ran to 680,000 yuan.
That is far higher than that of many companies and government agencies in Shenzhen.
According to official data, in 2008, the monthly average salary for fully employed staff and workers in Shenzhen is 3,621 yuan.
The center lost no time in responding, saying the leaked sheet had been an internal "draft" for approval and had already been rejected by the management. A new plan was under review, it said.
The center, without citing specifics, insisted that their actual income was indeed higher than that of some businesses or public institutions but lower than what the post showed.
In response to the center's argument, the whistle-blower leaked more evidence to refute its denial. The new details covered a wide range of benefits and subsidies from toilet articles, tea and fruit to clothing, meals, medicine and even gasoline - anything conceivable. And the total expenses came to an enormous sum.
Monopoly
The City Housing and Construction Bureau that administers the center has promised to look into the matter and release the result of the investigation when it becomes available.
The overwhelming attention to the little payroll sheet - and strong skepticism about in the official explanation - reflect an underlying concern: What should be done to do away with the stark institutional injustice behind the unfair wealth distribution?
The Shenzhen Residential Leasing Management and Service Center is a public institution responsible for leasing, maintaining and managing affordable housing, low-cost housing and government housing, according to its official website.
In other words, it is a property management agent run by the government, which is supposed to operated like any other one in the highly competitive market. Relying on the resources acquired through the governmental monopoly, however, some people secure profits much higher than the market level and therefore enjoy effortless income. This is an utter waste of public resources, a stunning case of institutional corruption and flagrant sabotage of fair competition, which doesn't sit well with the public and is the source of ascending public discontent and resentment.
Over the years, public grievance has been building up over the worsening corruption and privilege of the handful in power and in control of social and economic resources.
While the masses are suffering from runaway inflation and deprived of the means to own a small apartment as a result of the soaring housing prices, some public servants are moving into villas barely costing them anything or traveling around the world on public expense.
Some even throw millions of yuan, often embezzled public funds, like dirt in overseas casinos. All this is way out of line and has worn away public tolerance!
Reform urgent
Shiye danwei, or a public institution, is a freak organization that combines administrative powers and business functions. In many cases, such a unit serves as a means by some officials to seek financial benefits as well as a tool of corruption. When it comes to efficiency and service quality, it is a far cry from satisfactory.
There should be no delay in reforming public institutions. There must be a clear-cut division between administrative and business affairs, with governmental agencies taking care of the former and enterprises the latter.
Public revenue and expenses must be made transparent and used under close public scrutiny. Services such as housing rental and management should be subject to full and free competition rather than being run by semi-official or official institutions.
Only by reforming irrational and distorted social structures, can such erratic "highest salary" phenomenon be eradicated and real social harmony be achieved.
(Wu Guangqiang, 56, is an English tutor and freelancer in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province.)
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