Ginandjar says bureaucracy must be modernized<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia must modernize its bureaucracy if it
\nwants its development programs to be successful, Minister of
\nNational Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita said
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
Ginandjar said modern bureaucracies were more concerned with
\nvalues than high-tech equipment in meeting rising public demands.<\/p>\n
He said that only professionals should get jobs in the
\nbureaucracy because they had to work transparently, with
\naccountability and common sense.<\/p>\n
"It means that they must maintain the spirit of honesty,
\njustice and righteousness, because these will draw respect from
\nthe public and improve their dignity," he added.<\/p>\n
He said various studies had proven that sub-standard
\nbureaucracies derailed development programs.<\/p>\n
Ginandjar was speaking in a three-day national seminar on
\nadministrative reforms, which was opened yesterday by President
\nSoeharto. The seminar is held by the Ministry of Administrative
\nReforms, the National Institute of Administration, the National
\nArchives Agency and the Institute of State Personnel
\nAdministration.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, Ginandjar said, had set its sights on becoming an
\nindustrialized country by the end of the second long-term
\ndevelopment program in 2018.<\/p>\n
The country is expected to have 7 percent annual economic
\ngrowth and an annual population growth rate below 1 percent.<\/p>\n
This economic growth rate would increase Indonesia's
\npurchasing power parity to US$2 trillion, making it the world's
\nfifth or sixth economic power, Ginandjar said.<\/p>\n
He said a stronger middle class, a successful poverty
\nalleviation program, an increased life expectancy to 71 years,
\nthe rule of law and better conservation of the environment would
\nfollow successful economic development.<\/p>\n
Challenges<\/p>\n
Ginandjar said the bureaucracy should be able to mobilize the
\nmaximum potential of society.<\/p>\n
"Bureaucracy should serve as the avant guard of changes and
\nlead society to improvement," he said.<\/p>\n
He said the bureaucracy was facing its toughest challenges in
\nfinding out what kind of bureaucracy the country needed to help
\nits people reach their ideals and how would it evolve into such a
\nbureaucracy.<\/p>\n
"People's lives have become very dynamic and they will
\nfrequently cause changes," he warned.<\/p>\n
He suggested that the bureaucracy come up with recommendations
\nfor facing future challenges.<\/p>\n
"It is worth thinking that our bureaucracy needs, for example,
\nto be trimmed, to have tougher qualifications and clearer job
\ndescriptions rather than better salaries," he said.<\/p>\n
There are 3.5 million people in the country's bureaucracy.<\/p>\n
Ginandjar said that cutting back on staff was as hard as
\nraising bureaucrats' salaries.<\/p>\n
The government increased the salaries of civil servants,
\nincluding bureaucrats, by between 34 percent and 73 percent in
\nthe 1997\/1998 state budget.<\/p>\n
Another speaker Lilik Hendrajaya, the rector of the state-run
\nBandung Institute of Technology, said that civil servants needed
\nhigher wages because many were seeking to supplement low pay with
\nmoney from travel expenses and moonlighting.<\/p>\n
He suggested that the bureaucracy be divided into two groups
\naccording to staff skills. The lower group would comprise people
\nwith general skills and the upper group consist of people with
\nexpertise. (amd)<\/p>",
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