Govt efficiency

Govt efficiency

From Koran Tempo

As the state enterprise privatization program has signally
failed to reach its target, State Minister of State Enterprises
Laksamana Sukardi has suggested reducing the salaries of all
ministers. Also, the International Monetary Fund has recommended
a retrenchment of the state budget. So, perhaps, we need a
national campaign on efficiency to ensure that we no longer rely
on debt to cover the state budget.

In spite of the country's huge debt, the government does not
look serious enough in implementing efficiency in its
expenditure. Besides salary cutbacks, ministers' perks should
also be decreased. Their Volvos should be replaced by Kijang vans
and they should wear simple white shirts, just as Singaporean
senior officials do.

The present Cabinet needs to be streamlined, too. Perhaps, we
need only 10 to 12 ministers, as some ministries could be merged.
The number of first-echelon officials should also be reduced and
those no longer capable in office should retire early. The number
of civil servants could be cut by 30 percent to reduce costs in
the routine budget. No more new civil servants should be
recruited so that there will be zero growth, or contraction.

HARDIONO

Jepara, Central Java