Civil servants told to quit politics

JAKARTA: The government is in the process of collecting data on civil servants who are registered members of political parties and threatens to dismiss those found holding double positions.

Quoting Government Regulations on government employees conduct, State Minister of Administrative Reforms Feisal Tamin said on Thursday that a civil servant was not allowed to join a political party while in office.

According to Feisal's data, in the period between April 1999 to April 2000 there were 636 employees who had applied for permission from their respective government departments to be allowed to join political parties.

"Those who are still holding double positions will be dismissed as required by the government regulation," Feisal said.

He added that the 636 civil servants had 2 years to decide whether they would remain in their administrative position or join a political party. -- JP