'If I were a civil servant ...'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S. M. said
\nyesterday that while civil servants are not obliged to support
\nGolkar, they are still expected to vote for the ruling political
\norganization.<\/p>\n
Yogie, who is not a member of the politically powerful
\nIndonesian Civil Servants Corps (Korpri), suggested that
\ngovernment employees who do not vote for Golkar should resign
\nfrom their jobs.<\/p>\n
\"If I were a member of Korpri, I'd quit and get another job if
\nI didn't want to choose Golkar,\" he told reporters.<\/p>\n
The minister was speaking to reporters after attending a
\nhearing with the House of Representatives, during which a
\nquestion was raised about the legality of the government's policy
\nof urging its employees to vote for Golkar.<\/p>\n
Korpri chairman Suryatna Soebrata, also Yogie's secretary-
\ngeneral, said the law guarantees that civil servants are free to
\nvote for the party of their choice.<\/p>\n
Civil servants are also free to join any political party
\n\"subject to approval from their superiors,\" Suryatna said.<\/p>\n
He said government employees are expected to show loyalty to
\nthe government, and not Golkar. But this \"monoloyalty\" concept
\nhas been widely misunderstood to mean that they should also vote
\nfor Golkar during the elections, he said.<\/p>\n
\"It is just people's misinterpretation if they equate
\ngovernment with Golkar,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Yogie denied that senior government officials prevent civil
\nservants from joining political organizations other than Golkar,
\nsaying that the complaints were totally unfounded.<\/p>\n
\"They shouldn't complain before even trying,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The two minority parties have often complained that civil
\nservants are forced to vote for Golkar at elections and that
\nthose who did not comply could be fired from their jobs.<\/p>\n
Although the civil service is apolitical, Korpri has been one
\nof the main components of Golkar's election machinery.<\/p>\n
Former home minister Rudini last week proposed that the Civil
\nService should be treated like the Armed Forces, who do not vote
\nat elections but are allocated seats in the House of
\nRepresentatives. (anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/if-i-were-a-civil-servant-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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