Susilo warned against 'corporatocracy'<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Tight regulations for government officials whose families run
\nbusinesses will be not enough to keep them from abusing their
\npowers, an expert says.<\/p>\n
It would be better for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to
\nreplace his Cabinet ministers who had direct links to business
\nenterprises, the expert suggests.<\/p>\n
\"The President has the prerogative to replace ministers who
\nare in dual roles and appoint loyal and dedicated professionals
\nto the Cabinet. State officials and their families should also be
\nbarred from doing business,\" the rector for the State Institute
\nof Public Administration, Ngadisah, told The Jakarta Post on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
Ngadisah said the presence of government officials taking
\nadvantage of their positions would lead the country to what she
\ncalled a \"corporatocracy\".<\/p>\n
While visiting South Korea, Susilo said he would issue a
\npresidential instruction regulating government officials whose
\nfamilies or business groups were involved in public projects for
\nthe sake of good governance. The President called the officials
\n\"dual-function\" politicians.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Vice President Jusuf Kalla, whose family runs a range
\nof businesses, said the presence of former businesspeople in the
\nCabinet was an unavoidable trend as many entrepreneurs were
\ninvolved in politics. Kalla is a former businessman who now leads
\nthe Golkar Party, which won the most votes in 2004 legislative
\nelection.<\/p>\n
Ngadisah said a corporatocracy would in the long run give
\nraise to economic oligarchies at the expense of democracy as
\npower and economy fell into the hands of a minority elite.<\/p>\n
Ministers were already deeply involved in the making of public
\npolicy.<\/p>\n
\"The chances are big that they will be trapped in conflicting
\ninterests if their families take part in government projects,
\nalthough they are offered through public tenders, because
\nbusiness aims at making profits,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Ngadisah expressed skepticism that the planned presidential
\ninstruction would work because of the absence of close
\nsupervision.<\/p>\n
\"Public control, including from the mass media, is very
\npossible, but it has no legal consequences,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Tjahjo Kumolo of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
\nsaid the regulation demonstrated the President's inability to
\nshake up his Cabinet after strong pressure from Golkar.<\/p>\n
\"SBY won the people's mandate. He should not be hesitant to
\nexercise his prerogatives to replace his ministers, particularly
\nthe economic team who have proven failures in carrying out his
\neconomic programs,\" Tjahjo said, referring to Susilo by his
\ninitials.<\/p>\n
Soetrisno Bachir, a businessman who chairs the National
\nMandate Party, said non-partisan figures should not be barred
\nfrom public positions, but public officials should be prevented
\nfrom doing business to avoid conflicts of interest.<\/p>\n
\"A presidential instruction is not necessary. The President
\nshould encourage the strict enforcement of Law No. 28\/1999 on
\nclean government and take actions against state officials
\ninvolved in corruption, nepotism and collusion. It is very simple
\nand a strong political commitment from the national leadership is
\nneeded,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said all sides should be fair in treating Kalla and
\nCoordinating Minister for the Economy Aburizal Bakrie because
\ntheir families complied with the rules of the game when doing
\nbusiness.<\/p>\n
\"So far, there is no evidence that either Kalla or Aburizal
\nhave misused their powers to enrich their families and business
\ngroups,\" Soetrisno said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/susilo-warned-against-corporatocracy-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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