Keep state secrets, Akbar warns officials<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A veiled warning was conveyed Monday to
\nofficials who failed to maintain state secrets.<\/p>\n
At a ceremony for the installation of new officials,
\nMinister\/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung said it was "our joint
\nresponsibility in keeping state secrets".<\/p>\n
The leakage of state secrets is clearly prohibited under the
\ncriminal code and other regulations, Akbar said.<\/p>\n
The phone tapping scandal has yet to subside, as police have
\nnot announced whether voices on circulated tapes really belong to
\nPresident B.J. Habibie and Attorney General A.M. Ghalib.<\/p>\n
"Leakage of state secrets, for instance about planned policies
\nunder discussion which are yet to be announced, can provoke
\nunnecessary controversy among the public," Akbar said.<\/p>\n
The police have referred to the criminal code prohibiting the
\nleakage of state secrets in their investigations, in which
\nseveral press representatives have been called as witnesses.<\/p>\n
On Monday, chairman of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) Yusril
\nIhza Mahendra was released from his position as special assistant
\nto the Minister\/State Secretary.<\/p>\n
Yusril said last month that he has decided to concentrate on
\nhis party.<\/p>\n
In line with a new ruling on civil servants, political party
\nexecutives must choose between their political activities and
\ntheir jobs in the bureaucracy.<\/p>\n
Yusril, also speech writer for former president Soeharto, was
\nreplaced by President B.J. Habibie's adviser Sofian Effendi in a
\nbrief ceremony at the State Secretariat led by Akbar himself.<\/p>\n
Akbar also installed as head of the Institute of State
\nPersonnel Administration (BAKN) Ahmad Watik Pratiknya, another
\nHabibie adviser, who replaced Maj. Gen. (ret) Soenarko. Soenarko
\nwas sworn in as Akbar's assistant for supervision and integrated
\npolicy affairs.<\/p>\n
Sofian's previous position as Akbar's assistant for state
\naffairs and non-departmental state agencies was filled by
\neconomist Prijono Tjiptoherijanto.<\/p>\n
According to Government Regulation No. 12\/1999, any of the
\ncountry's 5.1 million civil servants who join political parties
\nautomatically lose their positions in the bureaucracy. However,
\nthey are entitled to compensation equal to their basic salary for
\none year.<\/p>\n
The decree also stipulates that civil servants must obtain
\npermission from their superiors if they wish to relinquish their
\nstate duties.<\/p>\n
Apart from his position as Akbar's assistant, Yusril is also
\nprofessor at the School of Law in the University of Indonesia
\n(UI).<\/p>\n
Chairman of National Mandate Party (PAN) Amien Rais decided to
\nabandon his position as political science professor at Gajah Mada
\nUniversity in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
Faisal Basri, PAN's secretary-general had also opted to leave
\nhis position as lecturer at UI's School of Economics. (prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/keep-state-secrets-akbar-warns-officials-1447893297",
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