Data difficult to get at Bapepam

Data difficult to get at Bapepam

From Bisnis Indonesia

The large-scale promotional activities being conducted by
participants in the capital market to introduce the stock
exchange to the public is being hampered by the "rules" of the
Capital Market Supervising Agency (Bapepam).

I had difficulty obtaining data which I needed to do my
research paper, even though I had a letter of introduction from
my university (albeit only a photocopy, because I left the
original behind in Surakarta).

I need more data regarding the latest education program for
stock brokers. I tried to obtain it from the Jakarta Association
of Stock Brokers, which did not have the information.

I was advised to contact the Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX)
where I contacted the membership division, but again without any
results.

My only remaining hope was Bapepam. But, even armed with a
photocopy of my university's letter, I was unable to obtain the
data. What was most regrettable was that Bapepam's public
relations officer (Mr. Darsono) failed to take me to the
authorized department. Instead I was advised to go to the Bapepam
library.

Here, too, the photocopy of the letter I carried was not
accepted for forwarding to whichever official was in charge. The
reason given was that it was only a photostat copy and that it
was addressed to the Head of the Public Relations Department
rather than the Head of Bapepam. (Introductions are usually made
through the public relations departments of official agencies).

A letter from the Jakarta Social-Political Affairs Office,
again, was not enough to convince Bapepam that I really was a
student of Universitas 11 Maret in Surakarta. It is not possible
for me to go back to Surakarta to get the original letter because
of considerations of cost and work (I cannot leave my work for
too long).

All this is most regrettable to me. How can the capital market
be effectively popularized among the public when the proper
agencies (such as Bapepam) are making it difficult for people to
obtain information.

Still, I owe the brokers at the JSX my gratitude for their
willingness to fill out my questionnaire. The same goes for the
membership section of the JSX. It is to be hoped that the
cooperation extended by those two parties will help nurture the
interest of students and members of the public to learn more
about the workings of the capital market.

R. FITRIANA

Semarang, Central Java