SBY bemoans 'dual-function politicians'<\/p>\n
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Busan, South Korea<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will soon issue a presidential
\ninstruction regulating government officials' roles in dealing
\nwith projects funded or initiated by the state.<\/p>\n
"There should be clear rules of the game for these kinds of
\nofficials in order to create good governance and prevent
\ncorruption," he said on Thursday aboard the presidential aircraft
\nheading to South Korea where he will attend the Asia-Pacific
\nEconomic Cooperation leaders meeting.<\/p>\n
Susilo dubbed such government officials -- who misused their
\nauthority to enrich their family or business groups by securing
\ngovernment projects -- as "dwi-fungsi (dual-function)
\npoliticians".<\/p>\n
"Dual-function politicians are government officials who are
\nrunning their businesses at the expense of the state. Not
\nnecessarily by being directly involved in these (businesses) but
\nthrough their family or groups," he said.<\/p>\n
Susilo said the instruction would arrange the relations
\nbetween government officials and their families or business
\ngroups when dealing with projects funded by the state or regional
\nbudgets, or projects initiated by the government.<\/p>\n
The instruction also regulates the need for business entities
\nowned by officials' families or business groups to make a
\ndisclosure of their relation to officials during a tender process
\nfor a government project.<\/p>\n
Under the planned instruction, government officials are not
\nallowed to provide or leak information to their families or
\nbusiness interests regarding a tender process, which could cause
\nunfair competition in the tender.<\/p>\n
Information leaked by officials that could lead to insider
\ntrading in capital markets will also be prohibited.<\/p>\n
Susilo said he would use the instruction to try to prevent the
\ncountry's economy from being controlled by only a small group of
\nbusinessmen, which could create economic oligarchies.<\/p>\n
"I know that some cases of nepotism are hard to prove. But
\neveryone should bear in mind that there is no such thing as a
\nperfect crime. There is always ways to prove that they are
\nguilty," Susilo said.<\/p>\n
The President's Cabinet includes several prominent businessmen
\n-- Vice President Jusuf Kalla, Coordinating Minister for the
\nEconomy Aburizal Bakrie, Minister of Transportation Hatta
\nRadjasa, Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Fahmi Idris,
\nState Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises
\nSurya Dharma Ali, State Minister of State Enterprises Sugiharto
\nand Minister of Forestry Malam Sambat Kaban.<\/p>\n
Susilo urged people not to jump to the conclusion that certain
\ngovernment officials were involved in corruption without
\nsufficient evidence. If they did they risked being charged under
\nthe law for defamation, he said.<\/p>\n
"I am currently investigating certain officials who it is
\nindicated have misused their authority for the interests of their
\nfamilies or groups of businesses. (However) I must have strong
\nevidence before I can take necessary action against them," he
\nsaid.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sby-bemoans-dual-function-politicians-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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