Bureaucracy still far from ideal<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Government bureaucracy in Indonesia has been
\nimproved over the years but must still make progress if it is to be
\neffective in its role of supporting national development, a top
\nofficial says.<\/p>\n
\"From objective observations, evaluations and findings of
\nvarious studies, including my own experience, one can conclude that
\nthe condition of our state administration is far from what it
\nshould be,\" State Minister of National Development Planning
\nGinandjar Kartasasmita said on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Bureaucracy in any part of the world tends to be slow,
\nunresponsive, inefficient, expensive and obstructive, Ginandjar
\nsaid in his oration before a ceremony for 222 students graduating
\nfrom the Institute of State Administration.<\/p>\n
Ginandjar supported his point by quoting American author Peter
\nF. Drucker:<\/p>\n
\"There is mounting evidence that government is big rather than
\nstrong; that it is fat and flabby rather than powerful; that it
\ncosts a great deal but does not achieve much.\"<\/p>\n
Drucker was writing about governments in developed countries
\nand their problems in the face of globalization, Ginandjar said,
\nadding that the problem here is further complicated by the fact
\nIndonesia's bureaucracy is still in the formation process.<\/p>\n
\"With globalization, the challenge is made that much harder,\"
\nsaid Ginandjar, an Air Force officer who spent a number of years in
\npublic administration working at the State Secretariat.<\/p>\n
He said the bureaucracy has made progress by applying public
\nadministration principles, modern management principles and also by
\ntightening the supervision. It has been decentralized, giving more
\nand more autonomy to regional administrations.<\/p>\n
One area that needs changing in the public administration
\nsector is the mentality, he said. \"The revitalization of the state
\nadministration cannot take place smoothly without changing the
\nculture within it.\"<\/p>\n
To quote James Q. Wilson in his Bureaucracy -- What Government
\nAgencies Do and Why They Do It, Ginandjar said: \"Culture is to an
\norganization what personality is to an individual.\"<\/p>\n
The minister, who also chairs the National Development
\nPlanning Board, said the chief job of government bureaucracy is to
\nsupport the development process, which in turn ensures sustainable
\neconomic growth.<\/p>\n
It has to encourage investment by mobilizing savings through
\nmacro-economic policies.<\/p>\n
Ginandjar stressed that the government is expected to play an
\neven more active role as Indonesia moves towards a more open,
\nmarket-oriented economy.<\/p>\n
\"The state administration cannot remain neutral,\" he said. \"It
\nhas to take sides when it comes to the question of social justice
\nand the interest of the people.\"<\/p>\n
Ginandjar acknowledged that even in a market-oriented economy,
\nthe government is often required to intervene to ensure a level-
\nplaying field among all the players.<\/p>\n
\"The state administration must ensure that competition be
\namong equals. If there is inequality, then it (the government) must
\ngive support to the weak so that it becomes strong and can compete
\non equal terms.\"<\/p>\n
He said the globalization process could widen existing
\neconomic disparities. \"We should give special attention to the
\ndevelopment of weaker economic sectors, including cooperatives, so
\nthat they don't fall too far behind and can take advantage of the
\nmomentum offered by the globalization process.\" (fhp)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bureaucracy-still-far-from-ideal-1447893297",
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