Ministers resembling hoodlums

Ministers resembling hoodlums

From Rakyat Merdeka

A political expert from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Alfitra Salam, said in a mass media publication in Jakarta that a number of ministers in the Cabinet of President Abdurrahman Wahid (popularly known as Gus Dur) are still inactive and devoid of initiatives. There is a suspicion that these ministers remain inactive on purpose because they intend, among other things, to render ineffective the leadership of Gus Dur. They have also deliberately let the Cabinet rot. So, these ministers behave just like hoodlums at terminals, who tell bus drivers what to do and then ask them for money. They have no clear office but they are satisfied as they can behave like rulers.

In my opinion, there is some truth in what the above political expert said. There are several factors to bear out his/her statement. First, there are ministers whose career history is not clear. They have been appointed ministers simply because they have been the most outspoken persons in their parties. Unfortunately, not only are many of them not experts in their fields of duty but they also do not have much experience, an asset which may support them in performing their tasks. So, they still have to rely on directives from the President.

Second, some of the ministers still do not have a clear vision and mission so that we may get the impression that they do not know what to do. Of course, this condition was also found in previous Cabinets during the New Order era. It is not surprising, therefore, to learn that there is one minister who will try to regulate businesspeople and business tycoons and then, just like the hoodlums at bus terminals, ask them for money.

Ordinary people may be curious who these ministers are that behave and act like hoodlums in a bus terminal. Their next question will be whether their presence in the Cabinet should continue, considering this will only obstruct the government's effort to overcome various problems that the nation is now facing, and create fresh problems.

Therefore, the President should be able to evaluate carefully the work of his ministers so that he can replace inadequate ministers with persons really credible and expert in their fields.

YUNARSIH

Jakarta