Home affairs minister Surjadi vows to reform bureaucracy
Home affairs minister Surjadi vows to reform bureaucracy
JAKARTA (JP): Newly-sworn-in Minister of Home Affairs Surjadi
Soedirdja said his main goal would be to improve the departments'
poor image by cracking down on corruption and enhancing its
service to the public.
"It is my hard task to repair the bureaucracy's badly-
tarnished image and improve the public service of civil servants
under my department, including the provincial and regency
administrations," he told journalists after officially taking
over from his predecessor Syarwan Hamid here on Friday.
He said his efforts would be practical rather than a mere
publicity campaign.
"It's easy to make bombastic statements which are very
difficult to implement in reality," he said.
He said his experience as Jakarta governor from 1992 to 1997
would be helpful in minimizing embezzlement, corruption,
nepotism, collusion and abuses of power.
He reminded the press of its social function in helping the
government improve its service to the public.
"Amid the reform era, the national press should play its role
as the fourth pillar of democracy. It is the press' obligation to
disclose any irregularities in the administration," he said.
Commenting on protests against his inclusion in the Cabinet,
Surjadi said he had no ambition to return to politics as he was
already engaged in various charity activities.
"I did not believe it when I saw my name was included in the
Cabinet which was announced on Tuesday," he said.
Surjadi, a retired (Army) lieutenant general, said the
government will have to reorganize the Home Affairs Ministry,
which supervises provincial and regency administrations, in line
with the planned enforcement of the 1999 Law on regional
administration.
"Much of the department's authority will be delegated to
governors and regents but this does not mean I will not have many
things to do. It is my obsession to improve the quality of human
resources in all institutions under my supervision," he said.
He said the quality of civil servants and their service to the
public had to be improved to gain the people's confidence in the
government.
"Civil servants can no longer play as masters. They have to
realize their status as public servants," he said, adding the
government will also improve their social welfare in line with
the newly-endorsed law on the revised remuneration system for
civil servants.
The minister said he would gradually move staff to provinces
and regencies to strengthen the implementation of regional
autonomy. (rms)