Skin-deep reforms only

Skin-deep reforms only

Amid the economic crisis that continues to burden Indonesians,
various efforts have been made by the government to assist those
affected. Support has also been received from abroad, for example
through the World Bank's Social Safety Net program, which targets
the rural poor.

We were therefore shocked to learn that leakages within the
World Bank's program have led to the non-disbursement of aid to
its intended recipients. Many publications have recently drawn
attention to these irregularities

Mar'ie Muhammad, chairman of the Indonesian Transparency
Community, last week reported his group's findings to President
B.J. Habibie. The report stimulated the President to issue orders
for a transparent implementation of the program and a directive
that non-governmental organizations working in the provinces be
engaged to oversee its disbursement.

What happened?

If critical reports emanating from the community are correct,
the development is highly regrettable -- not only because the
program involves an international agency and can therefore
adversely affect Indonesia's reputation -- but also because it
demonstrates the base moral standards of those entrusted with the
program's execution, namely the bureaucrats.

Problems involving the implementation of the Social Safety Net
program represent only one example of the leakages and corruption
that plague our country. The conclusion we draw from such
problems is that the reform movement remains skin-deep. Our
reform drive is comprised mostly of slogans and statements; it
has not affected the way our people think and act.

The bureaucrats responsible for such leakages in aid programs
are acting within the old rotten mentality that is part of
Indonesia's current devastation. The push to establish a clean
and authoritative government is in name only. The reform drive
remains a political appeal; it has not yet touched the nation's
mentality.

-- Republika, Jakarta