Civil servants and professionalism

Civil servants and professionalism

From Merdeka

All Indonesians know the correlation between the civil
servants and the ruling Golkar functional group. An unwritten law
seems to say that all civil servants have to be members of
Golkar, because those who choose other political parties will
receive unexpected threats or intimidation. Can the civil
servants stay neutral, which means that they work for this
country, and not for the ruling party? They should if the
government acts with goodwill on this issue.

The civil servants' siding with the party will have both
expensive consequences materially and politically. Having helped
the party achieve victory, it seems that they ask the party to
give them "rewards". No wonder the civil servants resort to
embezzling state funds, although it is certainly not their only
reason. Their small monthly salaries also contribute to this
malpractice.

So it is very crucial for the government to change this system
and increase the salaries of civil servants so they can be
expected to work as professionals.

I think being professional and neutral workers is important
for the civil servants, so that they not involve themselves in
political games. The more professional they are, the better
motivation they will have to enforce the government's policies
whoever the president or whatever the ruling party.

R. SOEDARSONO

Surabaya, East Java