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