Surjadi reminds city officials not to abuse power
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)