'Civil servants need military mentality'

'Civil servants need military mentality'

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's civil servants need to acquire a
new, more disciplined mentality if they are to cope with the
growing challenges confronting them, according to a senior
official of the home affairs ministry.

Secretary-General Suryatna Subrata said all government
workers, from the lowest to the highest levels, should adopt some
of the positive attitudes found in the military, such as
discipline, loyalty and willingness to make sacrifices.

"These are attributes that government workers must possess,"
Suryatna said, while opening a leadership course for officials of
the ministry in Cimahi, West Java, on Friday, Antara reported.

Given such a positive mentality, the nation would be prepared
to face the challenges of the time, he said. On the other hand,
the absence of such attributes would endanger, not only
Indonesia's civil service, but also the people it serves and the
very existence of the nation, he said.

Some 260 officials, including district chiefs, are taking part
in the leadership course, which includes training in some
military disciplines.

Suryatna said that by learning the military disciplines, the
participants would be able to tighten work ethics and discipline
within the government administration.

He said that the course was even more important for officials
in regional administrations, given that the government was
planning to grant greater autonomy to the provinces and
regencies. (emb)