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)