Ismail warns officials' children
JAKARTA (JP): Children of senior government officials may not be barred from going into business but they should know their place, said the chairman of the United Development Party.
The children of officials should not be "greedy" and use their parents' positions to boost business, Ismail Hasan said on Saturday.
"It's improper for children of officials to go around government offices introducing themselves as the son or daughter of such and such, and then ask for some business or projects," he was quoted by Antara news agency as saying.
"I know of some who do this," he said, although he declined to disclose their names.
"They can go into business, but they have to be fair. They cannot use the influence of their parents," he said.
The businesses of well-connected children became a hot topic again last week after it was first raised by members of the House of Representatives during a hearing with Attorney General Singgih.
The hearing discussed the government's campaign to eradicate corruption, including business collusion between government officials and entrepreneurs.
Challenge
In response to a challenge, reportedly from Army Chief of Staff Gen. R. Hartono, to pinpoint which children have abused their parents' positions to secure business contracts, Ismail Hasan, who is deputy speaker of the House, said there was no need to go that far.
The House has done its job in exercising social control by putting the issue on the national agenda, he said.
The point is that these children should know their place now that their positions are scrutinized by the people, he said.
Two children of President Soeharto, Hutomo Mandala Putra and Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, have defended children of government officials who go into business as their inalienable right.
They also stressed fair play.
"As long as these officials' children manage their businesses fairly and help the government's projects, there's nothing wrong with that," Hardiyanti was quoted by Antara as saying.
State Minister of Administrative Reform T.B. Silalahi said certain regulations only bar civil servants and their spouses, but not their children, from entering businesses.
Meanwhile, Soeprapto, the chairman of BP-7, the state agency for the propagation of the state ideology Pancasila, concurred that children of government officials can go into business as long as they do it ethically.
"Those who abuse the position of their parents do not understand Pancasila and the regulations," he told Antara.
Harmoko, the chairman of the ruling political organization Golkar, spoke out against the attempt to single out the children of government officials in the debate on business collusion.
Speaking during a visit to Semarang, Central Java, Harmoko said everyone must comply with the laws and regulations.
"Whether you're the children of government officials, teachers, journalists, farmers, rickshaw drivers, artists, everyone has to comply with the law," he said.
"Let's not fall into this thinking that distinguishes the children of officials and the others. They are after all citizens of Indonesia. And every citizen of this country has the right to earn a living." (emb)