'Don't intervere with BPS operations'

'Don't intervere with BPS operations'

JAKARTA (JP): Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono warned
government institutions here yesterday not to interfere with the
independence of the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) in fixing
its data.

"No parties are allowed to influence the data recorded by the
statistic bureau, which guarantees the objectivity and
credibility of its works," Moerdiono said in his address at the
opening of BPS's national congress.

Moerdino's remarks came amid concerns over the credibility of
BPS and its economic data, especially figures related to
inflation rates.

The inflation rate dropped to 9.24 percent in 1994 from 9.77
percent in 1993, but critics said that the figures for those two
years were tailored to meet the government's commitment to keep
the inflation rate under 10 percent.

Moerdiono said in his address yesterday that misleading data
could jeopardize the government's development strategies, many of
which are formulated with BPS data.

BPS, which is overseen by the State Secretariat, should be
able to provide reliable and accurate data for the public, he
added.

"BPS data should reflect the facts and false data could create
wrong interpretations," he said, adding that manipulated data
could be fatal to the country's economic and social development.

The BPS chairman, Soegianto, acknowledged that the agency
still faces difficulties in maintaining the fairness of its data,
partly due to the lack of coordination with other government
institutions.

Soegianto also acknowledged that a number of government
offices still do not really respect the position of his agency as
the official data collector.

"It is, therefore, necessary to restate the position of the
agency as an independent data collector," he said, adding that
the issuance of statistical data by other government institutions
only confuses people. (hen)