Officials urged to talk to people more
JAKARTA (JP): Government officials need to hold talks with the public on a more regular basis in the face of a global push for greater democratization, it was stressed yesterday.
Alwi Dahlan, the chairman of the board for the proselytization of the state ideology Pancasila, said yesterday the habit of open communication with others had yet to develop among the majority of government officials.
"It's common, unfortunately, that the higher an official's ranking, the more pressed he or she is for time to accommodate people's rising expectations," Alwi said.
Alwi, also a communications expert, denied that such a situation had led to a blockage in communication between the government and the public.
He said that a number of senior government officials complained during a Pancasila upgrading course recently that they were not trained sufficiently well to speak to the public.
"Officials tend to use bureaucratic language which sounds too complicated for the public.
"To improve their professionalism, bureaucrats must get accustomed to speaking with people."
Alwi also announced that President Soeharto would officiate at the graduation of 1,016 government officials, rectors and other senior lecturers and media executives who attended Pancasila courses between November 1995 and November last year. The ceremony is to be held at the Jakarta Convention Center on Tuesday.
Alwi also chairs the steering committee of a national seminar on Indonesia's global challenges in 2003, to be held in Medan, North Sumatra, from March 18 to March 22. Soeharto is expected to open the event.
The President is scheduled to present awards to the country's best social scientists during an anniversary celebration of the Indonesian Association for Social Sciences Development which will coincide with the seminar.
Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono, Minister of National Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita and State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie are expected to speak at the seminar. (amd)