Govt should act on widening social gap: Ginandjar
Govt should act on widening social gap: Ginandjar
By Santi WE Sukanto and R. Fadjri
YOGYAKARTA (JP): The government shoulders the greatest
responsibility in correcting shortcomings occurring in current
development programs, as well as closing social gaps, Minister of
National Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita concluded.
Delivering his oration before a senate of professors at the
Gadjah Mada University on Saturday, after receiving his honorary
doctoral degree, Ginandjar said Indonesia has achieved much in
the last 25 years.
The efforts to launch the market economy, by a series of
deregulations, has spurred impressive growth, especially in the
industrial manufacturing sector, and has ushered in structural
economic transformations.
This campaign for efficient economics, however, has given
birth to an "unwanted child", which is the widening gap of wealth
due to uneven opportunities for society members, Ginandjar said.
"This emerging gap has to be stopped," he said in a ceremony
for the conferring of the title, led by Rector Sukanto
Reksohadiprodjo.
"In the effort to develop and achieve even and just
distribution, the role of the bureaucracy is very important," he
said. "This is one responsibility that cannot be privatized, like
other development jobs."
The public has the moral responsibility to, and is expected to
participate in, the campaign against social gaps. But the "full
responsibility remains in the hands of the government", he said.
In his oration, Ginandjar discussed at length the problems of
social justice and the need for efficient bureaucracy to redress
social gaps.
In order to fulfill the mandate, there has to be "reform in
the performance, ethics and working ethos of the government
apparatus," he said.
He said the bureaucracy has to increase the people's
participation in development. The Inpres Desa Tertinggal program,
for poverty eradication, which is managed by his office, is an
example of such participation, he said.
The bureaucracy should also be siding with the under-
privileged, instead of gravitating toward the powerful.
"Neutrality is not enough," Ginandjar said.
The bureaucracy should also switch roles now; it should start
guiding, instead of controlling, and empowering, instead of
giving to, the public.
He said a good and efficient bureaucracy should also develop
transparency and accountability.
"Concealment is often a cover up for incapability and reflects
reluctance to accept criticism", he said to loud applause from
the attending academicians and other guests.
Exploring the issue of accountability further, Ginandjar said
that "policies which will affect the public greatly should be
discussed openly before implementation".
"Public debate will increase the quality of the policies taken
and will guarantee the solicitation of public support, no matter
how difficult the consequences will be for the people," he
asserted.
The honorary title, the third to be conferred upon Ginandjar,
is for the science of development administration. The first two
degrees, for economics and public service respectively, were
given to Ginandjar last year by the Takushoku University in
Tokyo, Japan, and the Northeastern University in Boston,
Massachusetts.
Ginandjar said that in the increasingly sophisticated
communities, government officials are expected to be ready to
explain and give account of their duties.
"Because of the technology of information, no event can occur
in isolation, and news of glitches spread rapidly," he said. "A
government official cannot only be held accountable by his
superior, but also by the public."
"Even if it is his superior who can impose sanctions against
the officials, public pressure will still grow and exert great
influence on decisions made by that official," he said.
Several high-profile guests attending the conferring ceremony,
including businessmen Aburizal Bakrie and Fadel Muhammad,
applauded Ginandjar's proposals for a more accountable
bureaucracy.
"It's time that we institutionalize public debates every time
the government plans to implement a new policy," Aburizal said.
"This will help eliminate the image of the government as the all-
knowing, and will help boost the private sector's participation
in development."
"I welcome Ginandjar's call that the bureaucracy should take
sides with the underprivileged," Fadel said.