Surjadi reminds city officials not to abuse power

JAKARTA (JP): The new head of the public order office was given a special welcome at his installation ceremony as Governor Surjadi Soedirdja quoted reports of public order officials asking for money and sex.

In yesterday's ceremony to install the new head, Hadi Utomo, and three other officials, Surjadi quoted the reports to reinforce his warnings to officials who abuse their power.

"There's a report today which is directly targeted at you," he said.

"Just take it as a welcome to the new official, and a farewell to the outgoing one," he said. Hadi Utomo, who comes from the Army's training center on civilian tasks, replaces Kusaeni Budiantoro.

The other officials installed were Endu Wasan Gunawan as head of the Greater Jakarta Coordination Board's secretariat; Maruli Tua Simarmata as director of the city-owned waste agency, PD Pal Jaya; and Kemal Basya as development director of the city-owned property firm, PD Sarana Jaya.

The Merdeka daily yesterday quoted entertainment business owners saying that if they were charged with violating rules and their businesses temporarily closed, they could only re-open if they bribed officials.

Earlier reports cite instances of public order officials asking for sex, usually in return for releasing prostitutes.

Last year a Central Jakarta public order official was fired for allowing one of his friends to rape a woman, in return for Rp 10,000. The young woman had been taken into custody for not having an identity card and for prostitution.

Public order office officials should be "capable of making people behave in a more orderly fashion, and feel secure, safe and that their rights are legally protected," he said.

Surjadi said the public order office should improve coordination with other agencies and clarify its authority.

"For instance the authority to issue permits should not be used irresponsibly," he said, referring to the "chaos" in Kemang, South Jakarta.

When one building with a residential permit is allowed to be operated as a restaurant, others demand the same, "it's like the domino effect," he said.

A "sectoral" instead of integrated vision caused this type of chaotic development, he said.

"The agency should be firm in enforcing rules, but at the same time be friendly and take into account moral ethics."

After the ceremony Surjadi said reports about the conduct of the public order office helped prod his subordinates.

"I often remind officials to improve their services ... but we also urge the public to report clearly any violations (by officials)... instead of exaggerating an issue without facts," Surjadi said. (11/anr)