Communications campaign begins

Communications campaign begins

JAKARTA (JP): Poor public services, including
telecommunications and transportation, have remained in a
miserable condition for years.

Poor habits of the public have also been cited as a major
contribution to the lingering problems.

In a bid to curb all of these problems, a one-month campaign
named Communication Service Order Month was officially launched
here on Friday with the hope that the incidence of vandalism of
facilities, such as public telephones and traffic signs, would
gradually decrease.

Minister of Communications Budhi M. Suyitno, who officiated
the campaign launch in a ceremony at Gambir railway station in
Central Jakarta, said that the state-sponsored campaign was
essential to improve telecommunications and transportation
services.

Some people, however, voiced skepticism about such a formal
move.

"Another campaign ... again? Well, I know that won't work,"
said Theresia Laban, 29, when asked for her opinion about the
campaign. She said that she had been queuing for train tickets to
Bandung for more than two hours at Gambir station.

She recalled the ineffective National Discipline Movement
(GDN) canvassed by the government in 1995, which all layers of
society "were forced" to participate in.

"We don't need more campaigns. Just improve the existing
services," Theresia told The Jakarta Post.

Another person in the same queue at the railway station, Bugi
Simarmata, said that such a campaign would just be a wasteful
project.

"I wonder why the administration does useless things like the
New Order government did in the past?" he questioned.

Separately, a public bus driver servicing the Depok-Kalideres
route responded, "I have no idea what the campaign is. Is it some
kind of propaganda?"

"I believe that such a campaign will get no response from the
people because there are no strict sanctions for anyone who
rejects it," said the driver, who requested anonymity.

The campaign will be focused on public communication and
transportation locations in Greater Jakarta, such as railway
stations (particularly Gambir and Depok), bus stations, seaports
(particularly Merak in Banten) and airports.

The one-month drive is, however, aimed at improving public
awareness by giving more information to the public through
pamphlets, banners and seminars, instead of punishing people.

Police are also involved in the campaign, through the
provision of information to people and warnings for those who
make violations.

The head of research and development department at the
Ministry of Communications, Suripto, admitted that the first
stage of the campaign was not a punitive period for the public.
"But we are targeting the ministry's unscrupulous employees as an
internal move. Meaning that they will be punished when caught
violating any rules," he said. (04)