PPP focuses on better bureaucracy

JAKARTA (JP): The bureaucracy was mocked as a broker of paid services yesterday by the United Development Party's (PPP) chairman, Ismail Hasan Metareum.

"The bureaucracy has become a service bureau," he said, citing an Indonesian phrase for middlemen who are paid to provide services such as organizing passports and identity cards.

"The bureaucracy no longer functions as the public's servant. Instead, it acts as if it is the people's master, causing them problems every day," Ismail was quoted by Antara as telling 10,000 people at a PPP rally in Pontianak, West Kalimantan.

He said the bureaucracy had to improve if the country's social, political, cultural and economic spheres were to change.

PPP deputy chairman Hamzah Haz launched another scathing attack on the government in Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi. He said the bureaucracy was more concerned with money than its duty to serve the public.

He said many poor people suffered because of bureaucrats. "This country is not a kingdom, right?" he told about 40,000 supporters.

Ismail said local people had yet to benefit from the development programs they had helped fund.

He promised his party would help eliminate poverty by drafting a bill to force conglomerates to pay 10 percent of net profits to help small business grow.

PPP deputy chairman Zein Badjeber spoke of similar issues in the party's televised discussion yesterday. He said legislation was needed to bridge the gap between big and small businesses.

Back in Tamangapa, Ujungpandang, PPP supporters colored Hamzah's rally with shouts of "Long live Mega-bintang".

Hamzah said the government had banned the Mega-bintang banners because it was "scared the PPP would grow bigger".

"The banner ban has no legal basis," he said, to the cheers of thousands of green-clad supporters. Some wore T-shirts which said, "Anticorruption Mega-bintang."

Hamzah said the time had come for people to speak up, fight intimidation and express their political choice. He said people had become more "politically literate" than ever.

In Jayapura, Irian Jaya, local campaigner Nurhayati Payapo denied accusations that the PPP only represented Moslems and that it sought to create an Islamic state.

He told a crowd Sunday in the Cendrawasih University soccer field that the PPP adhered to the Pancasila as the nation's sole ideology. (30/37/aan/swe)