Productivity of civil servants poor: Expert

Productivity of civil servants poor: Expert

JAKARTA (JP): The productivity of most civil servants is so
low that they have become "covert unemployed" people, says deputy
chairman of the National Productivity Council Payaman J.
Simanjuntak.

The former director general of manpower development and
supervision of the Ministry of Manpower said yesterday that,
although intensive studies have yet to be conducted, it is the
public's opinion that government employees are poor workers.

The four million civil servants, half of which are teachers,
are members of the Indonesian Civil Servants Corps.

"The capabilities of (members of) this government body are not
yet explored optimally," Payaman was quoted by the Antara news
agency as saying.

Payaman, however, pointed out he was not generalizing. "There
are some government institutions whose employees' productivity is
quite high. They are willing to work until night time," he said.
"But there are also many who seem to be always idle."

Payaman was speaking to reporters after announcing the
council's plan to hold a seminar on the productivity and quality
of the services of government sectors on Thursday and Friday.

The event will feature noted speakers including business
tycoon Aburizal Bakrie, Minister of Administrative Reforms T.B.
Silalahi, deputy chair of the National Development Planning Board
Rahardi Ramelan, and a number of other experts.

"The seminar is being held in response to President Soeharto's
recent call for civil servants to give their best for development
and that they cut policies which are harmful to economic
development," Payaman said.

Payaman said that poor salaries should be blamed for the poor
productivity of government employees. "This is why employees at
government offices impose illegal levies on public members
requesting their service," he said.

Another concern he expressed yesterday was the exodus of good
quality government employees going to the private sector because
it promises better payment and career prospects.

If the condition continues, government institutions will lose
potential cadres and the bureaucracy would no longer be a center
of excellence, he said. (swe)