Solution to poor transparency

Solution to poor transparency

The results of a study undertaken by Political and Economic
Risk Consultancy (PERC), which has ranked Indonesia as the second
least transparent country in Asia behind Vietnam, is certainly a
blow to us, yet the study conducted through 1,000 expatriate
respondents to assess transparency in Asia should be immediately
and positively responded to.

As an organization concerned about transparency, we, the
Consortium for Transparent Public Information (KUTIP) not only
welcome the study but also at the same time appeal to the public
to act in a dignified manner.

With regard to the matter above, we would like to express our
views as follows:

First, the State Minister of Communications and Information
should have handled the issue about information transparency by,
for instance, disseminating various government policies to the
general public.

Second, all public relations bureaus should be playing a far
more active role in disseminating various regulations, decisions
and policies issued by departments through an integrated
communications program, instead of just distributing a press
release to the media. If there is any overlapping, it is high
time we straightened things out by synchronizing information
policies among departments.

Third, all private companies and state owned companies (BUMN)
should have professional corporate secretaries acting as their
public relations specialists to enable the people directly
involved such as shareholders, stake holders, suppliers,
investors, business partners etc. to get easy access to the
information required.

We call on all public relations consultants like Indonesian
Public Relations Associations, Perhumas and others to encourage
both the government and private companies to adopt public
information transparency. This is very important because only
through good corporate governance and good governance will there
be law enforcement, which will eventually earn Indonesia the
respect it deserves.

BUDI PURNOMO

Coordinator of KUTIP

Jakarta