BPOM and KPK Strengthen Employee Integrity Through National Mental Development Programme

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) are strengthening the integrity of human resources through National Mental Development (Bintalnas) training in order to serve the public.

BPOM Head Taruna Ikrar, speaking in Jakarta on Wednesday, emphasised the importance of integrity, given that BPOM is involved in pre-market to post-market activities, carrying out everything from guidance and supervision to enforcement.

He said BPOM deals with many stakeholders, ranging from communities and industry to the wider public.

“As the gateway, as the frontline guardian in matters of drugs and food, we as the guarantor of safety, quality, and the results of all products that reach the public, it certainly must begin with what is called the integrity, quality, spirit, and motivation of all our employees,” he said.

Secretary General of the Ministry of Manpower Cris Kuntadi welcomed BPOM’s initiative as an effort to prevent corruption, collusion, and nepotism within the agency.

“On our side, we have already implemented SMART and SIKENCUR, the Anti-Bribery Management System, and thank God we have obtained ISO 37001. We have also implemented a Fraud Control System,” he said.

His ministry shared with BPOM employees its experience of implementing these anti-fraud systems.

Amir Arief, Director of Anti-Corruption Socialisation and Campaigns at the KPK, said that a spirit of professional and integrity-based public service is a crucial part of the corruption prevention system.

According to him, eradicating corruption is not enough through punishment and enforcement alone.

However, he said, there are two other important approaches, namely improving governance, bureaucratic reform, and all the systems that are built.

“But the key to the first approach is strengthening individuals with integrity. Today is an important starting point, because no matter how good the system, however discipline is enforced, whatever the enforcement looks like, it will not work if the key — the human beings, the individual employees — are not safeguarded,” he said.

Therefore, he expressed appreciation for the forum, as it is important for strengthening reform, bureaucratic reform, and the quality of public service.