New president and advisory councils

New president and advisory councils

I think the idea of having a number of advisory councils is
commendable. Such councils provide the president with the means
of offering posts to those who have helped him to win the
election. It also allows him to surround himself with trusted
advisors. These advisors are different from those from the
departments as their sole loyalty is to the president.

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) needs to make sure
that these advisors are of different backgrounds so as to provide
balanced and objective views on various issues. They
need to not only be capable professionally, but also adept at
liaising with ministers and the national legislature.

SBY needs to spell out their job descriptions and
responsibilities clear. They should not have any other role than
that of advising the president. Most importantly, there are
pressing and complex issues that need to be answered in the
energy, education and employment fields. These issues need to be
addressed by the relevant ministries and institutions.

DIAN
Jakarta