State Secretariat to reduce its staff

State Secretariat to reduce its staff

JAKARTA (JP): The State Secretariat will dismiss 25 of its 28
top officials as part of the government's plan to revamp the
state agency, acting State Secretary Bondan Gunawan said on
Tuesday.

Speaking to journalists at Bina Graha presidential office,
Bondan said details of the move would be announced later this
month.

"Of the current 28 positions we will only maintain three of
them," said Bondan.

Bondan, who is also secretary of development supervision, told
State Secretariat employees last month the government would only
retain 500 of the some 4,000 civil servants working at the
secretariat, which the government has said is overstaffed.

The secretariat also supervises several state agencies,
including the National Logistics Agency, the Central Bureau of
Statistics and nonportfolio ministries.

As state secretary, Bondan has one secretary and several
assistants and expert staffers, including a number of senior
military officers. All of these are considered top officials and
could be included among the dismissals.

President Abdurrahman Wahid has repeatedly said he wants to
reduce the power of the once influential State Secretariat,
saying it tended to act as a state within state.

"The plan to revamp (the State Secretariat) is in line with
our current needs," Bondan remarked. (prb)