Mega prefers to hear bad news

Mega prefers to hear bad news

JAKARTA: President Megawati Soekarnoputri reminded government officials on Monday that in times like these, she would prefer to hear about negative, rather than positive, developments.

"It seems I deserve reports on negative developments of issues, for I do not need reports on the good ones," Megawati said on Monday after inaugurating the headquarters of the police mobile brigade on Jl. Kwitang, Central Jakarta.

Megawati said she was able to identify what was wrong in the country by receiving reports on negative developments.

"We have to restore what has been done," she stressed.

Commenting on the mobile brigade's newly renovated headquarters, Megawati said government projects, as well as those of the Indonesian Military (TNI), should be free of any mark-ups and corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN).

"Stop KKN and mark-ups," she said, adding that in 2002, she channeled Rp 30 billion (US$3.5 million) in presidential aid to the military and the police for the renovation of thousands of barracks.

During the ceremony, Indonesian Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said the police have about 250,000 personnel, which would be increased by 27,000 in 2003.

Bachtiar said most Indonesian police personnel had yet to have permanent residences. -- Antara