President frustrated by poor bureaucracy<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post,
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Frustrated by the performance of the government's civil servants,
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri urged on Monday government
\nofficials to get out and check reports firsthand rather than
\nremaining desk-bound while making decisions that affect the
\npeople's welfare.<\/p>\n
"I have been leading a government which I think is like trash
\nbecause bureaucrats only want to receive good news," Megawati
\nsaid in an off-the-cuff speech at the opening of a meeting of the
\noffice of the state minister for administrative reforms, held at
\nHotel Indonesia here.<\/p>\n
The President said that government officials should stop
\nmaking reports which were intended to please their superiors, a
\nlong-standing habit which Megawati admitted had hampered her
\nadministration's efforts to help the country recover from crisis.<\/p>\n
It was not the first time Megawati expressed her
\ndisappointment with the performance of the civil service. The
\nPresident had warned that she would dismiss all government
\nofficials who could not support her administration, but there
\nhave been no reports yet of such a punishment actually occurring.<\/p>\n
"I spoke with Vice President Hamzah Haz this morning and we
\nhad a good laugh, because there was a report on the existence of
\na forest in a certain area which (we know to be) nothing but
\nbushes," Megawati said.<\/p>\n
"It will be better if the officials provide facts, even 'bad
\nnews', so we can find solutions to problems."<\/p>\n
Many have expressed doubts that Megawati would be able to
\nreform the bureaucracy due to the fact that she is not familiar
\nwith the state bureaucracy that was built by former president
\nSoeharto.<\/p>\n
In her speech, Megawati also underscored the importance of
\nimproving the quality of this country's human resources in a bid
\nto restore the tarnished image of public servants.<\/p>\n
"The bureaucracy has come under fire for its arrogance, its
\noverweight structure, corruption and lack of professionalism.
\nFrankly, it sounds like a mockery of the system," she said.<\/p>\n
The meeting on administrative reform will last until
\nWednesday.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/president-frustrated-by-poor-bureaucracy-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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