Sukhoi hits at bureaucracy<\/p>\n
Bantarto Bandoro, Editor, 'The Indonesian Quarterly', Centre
\nfor Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Jakarta,
\nbandoro@csis.or.id<\/p>\n
It is normal if a jet fighter like an F18 Hornet, Sukhoi, or
\nF16 maneuvers to create panic in the air as well as on the
\nground, strikes at specific enemy targets or compels the air
\nforce of a given country to react accordingly. It is also normal
\nwhen a state procures more sophisticated weapons for its national
\ndefense. But it is perhaps extraordinary that a jet fighter like
\nthe Russian Sukhoi has struck instead at the Indonesian state
\nbureaucracy.<\/p>\n
The current \"Sukhoi\" drama involves, among others, government
\nbodies, business and pressure groups. The House of
\nRepresentatives is acting as if it were the producer, for example
\nby summoning those who could be best appointed as the main
\ncasting directors.<\/p>\n
Those allegedly involved in or questioned in the Sukhoi deal
\nappeared one by one to testify before the House, expressing with
\nconviction either their involvement or disengagement from the
\npurchase of the four jet fighters and two helicopters from
\nRussia. The purchase appears to indicate a kind of coalition
\nbetween elements of the bureaucracy and interest groups. It is
\nsuspected that the decision to purchase came from bargaining
\nbetween the main coalition members.<\/p>\n
The arguments put forward by each of the state bureaucracies
\nand other parties regarding the purchase have confused the public
\nas to how the final decision was reached. One wonders how our
\nbureaucracy, which is supposed to reflect a clear-cut line of
\ncommand and adhere strictly to formal rules, has been dragged
\ninto such a situation that it is accusing other government bodies
\neither of being part of or being excluded from the Sukhoi deal.<\/p>\n
An investigation into the purchase, initiated by certain
\nlegislators, is still under way and is only at its initial
\nstages, but it has already caused the public to become more
\ncynical of the way the government of President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri manages policy issues.<\/p>\n
The decision to buy the Russian aircraft, intentionally
\nperhaps, has involved up to four state bodies -- the Ministry of
\nDefense, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the State Logistics
\nAgency (Bulog) and the Military Headquarters -- plus other
\nrelated agencies. This is where problems emerge -- where certain
\nstate bodies have been bypassed, hence they have denied their
\ninvolvement or refuted allegations of doing things they were not
\nsupposed to do. It can also mean that people were placed in
\ncontrol over resources that were not their own, but used these
\nresources in the interests of other persons or groups close to
\nthe President.<\/p>\n
Was the President thinking of advancing the interests of her
\ninner circle through the ground rules established for the
\nimplementation of the \"Sukhoi policy\"?<\/p>\n
Conflicting views expressed by officials in meetings with
\nlegislators are indicative of policy conflict within the
\nbureaucracy, and it has thus caused further confusion as to how
\nthe Sukhoi policy was formulated. Different parts of the
\nbureaucracy may have different policy perspectives. There may be
\ndifferences over objectives, over the means to achieve those
\nobjectives and over the best way of making sense of the
\nsituation.<\/p>\n
In his hearing with Commission I of the House, for instance,
\nTNI Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto claimed that his office
\nwas not involved in the planning or purchase of the Russian
\naircraft. Subsequently, during his second meeting with the House,
\nthe commander admitted involvement in the deal, but denied that
\nhe had bypassed the Ministry of Defense.<\/p>\n
In his third appearance before Commission I of the House on
\nJuly 8, the TNI chief again stressed that there was no violation
\nof procedure in the purchase and that the deal was known to the
\nMinistry of Defense. But Ministry of Defense director general for
\ndefense strategy Maj. Gen. Sudradjat recently told the inquiry
\ncommittee of the House that his ministry was not involved in the
\ndeal, thus confirming previous reports of procedural violations
\nin the purchase.<\/p>\n
The Sukhoi drama has not yet reached its epilogue. However,
\nthe statement made by Minister of Industry and Trade Rini MS
\nSoewandi, that the President was the architect of the Sukhoi deal
\nand that all ministers knew of the decision, seems to have
\nencouraged the inquiry team to go further in its investigations.<\/p>\n
The case illustrates how pressure on bureaucrats given greater
\nresponsibility, to pursue the policy of the president, has caused
\nthem to become defensive and rigid.<\/p>\n
One might have expected to see that a decision was taken in
\naccordance with approved guidelines and procedures rather than
\nmerely reflecting the personal preferences of the president.<\/p>\n
Instead, the temporary conclusion so far is that, apart from
\ntheir lack of political savvy, the officials had a problem of not
\nknowing what was going to happen, what was happening and why.<\/p>",
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