Bureacracy in disarray: Whose fault?

Bureacracy in disarray: Whose fault?

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri's complaint that her cabinet
ministers are unable to control their subordinates has stirred
quite a debate.

Critics say that the President should have taken
responsibility for the leadership fiasco as the highest
government leader.

Jimly Asshidiqie, a constitutional law expert from the
University of Indonesia, said that ministers, as leaders in their
respective offices, must be able to supervise their low-ranking
officials so as to create an effective bureaucracy.

"The complaint was part of Megawati's style to improve the
cabinet's performance. And the ministers should take it as an
order from the president," he told The Jakarta Post.

Megawati aired her complaint of the lack of coordination in
her bureaucracy when she met executives of the National Front,
including Kemal Idris, Sri Edi Swasono, Solihin G.P., Kharis
Suhud and Rachmat Witoelar.

Quoting Megawati, Sri Edi said the ineffective bureaucracy was
mainly because cabinet ministers were unable to control their
senior aides who in turn failed to supervise their subordinates.

Sri Soemantri, a constitutional law expert from Bandung-based
Padjadjaran University, said that the lack of coordination among
officials in the bureaucracy was alarming.

"Megawati should not hesitate to voice her criticism during
cabinet meetings that are also attended by director generals or
other senior officials at all ministries," Soemantri said.

Soemantri praised recent stern action taken by Minister of
Trade and Industry Rini Soewandi to fire the director general of
international trade, Riyanto B. Yosokumoro, for breaching a joint
ministerial decree.

Riyanto was fired after he endorsed on Nov. 7 exports of
illegal logs by 11 companies, defying the ban imposed on them by
Rini and two other related ministers.

"Such penalties are an effective way to discipline officials,"
Soemantri said.

Soemantri and Jimly said that many ministers were unable to
concentrate on their state duties because they were busy helping
their respective political parties ahead of the 2004 general
elections.

As politicians, ministers can normally fight for their own
political agenda but it should not disrupt or hamper their main
duties as state officials, Soemantri said.