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.