Aceh – Indonesia, After being delayed for several months, the salaries of thousands of Contract-Based Government Employees (PPPK) within the Lhokseumawe City Government are set to be disbursed starting today, Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
Lhokseumawe City Government Spokesperson, Taruna Putra Satya, stated that the disbursement covers unpaid salaries from July to October 2026, as well as the 13th-month salary bonus.
“The delayed PPPK salaries are confirmed to begin disbursing today. The funds are currently available,” Taruna said.
Taruna noted that there are 2,934 PPPK employees under the Lhokseumawe City Government, requiring a monthly salary budget of IDR 11.08 billion.
Consequently, the current payment processing covers five months at once: salaries for July, August, September, and October 2026, along with the 13th-month pay.
According to Taruna, the administrative process for payment began on Monday, October 5, 2026. As of Tuesday, 20 Regional Government Agencies (OPD) have submitted Payment Orders (SPM) to the Regional Financial Management Agency (BPKD) through the Treasury Division.
“The Mayor has also actively addressed this controversy and instructed all ranks to expedite administrative processes so that PPPK personnel promptly receive their rights. This is part of our effort to champion the welfare of civil servants, particularly PPPK,” he said.
Taruna explained that for agencies that have submitted their SPMs, the payroll funds are being processed for transfer into the respective agency treasurer’s account. Subsequently, the payments will be distributed directly to the PPPK employees’ personal accounts.
He assured that the Lhokseumawe City Government will continuously monitor the process until all PPPK salary entitlements are fully disbursed.
“We are committed to overseeing this until all PPPK salaries are fully paid, as a gesture of appreciation for their dedication to serving the public,” he added.
Previously, the PPPK salary issue in Lhokseumawe gained public attention after thousands of workers went unpaid for three months—July, August, and September 2026—and had yet to receive their 13th-month pay.
At the time, Lhokseumawe Regional Secretary A. Haris stated that the PPPK salary payments were contingent upon the discussions surrounding the 2026 Revised Regional Budget (APBK-P).
“Because the Regional Finance Transfer (TKD) for State Civil Apparatus (ASN) salaries goes into the Regional Cash Account (RKUD), financial mechanisms dictate that it must undergo deliberations in the 2026 APBK-P,” A. Haris told AJNN on Monday, September 7, 2026.
A. Haris explained that the unpaid salaries at that time included July pay and the 13th-month pay for the first contract batch, while new contract PPPK workers had not received salaries for August and September.
The salary budget originates from additional Transfer to Regions (TKD) allocations from the central government. However, its disbursement must still adhere to regional financial management procedures.
“Hopefully, we can disburse everything in full by October. The City Government remains fully committed to paying PPPK salaries, but we ask for your patience. It is not that we do not understand the hardship faced by PPPK staff, but the regulations strictly require this procedure,” he stated.***