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