Susilo announces new public hotline number, 9949
Susilo announces new public hotline number, 9949
Rendi A. Witular and Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Bandung
After his private mobile phone crashed just a day after its
number was made public last week, President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono made public on Thursday a new phone number, 9949,
through which members of the public can directly forward
complaints and information.
During a press briefing at the State Palace, Susilo said the
new four-digit number could accommodate a large number of text
messages from the public as it was connected to a computer and
operated by a team of seven people.
"I can assure the public that the number is working now.
Please send your complaints or information concerning public
affairs directly to me. However, the messages will be sorted out
before reaching me (through the team)," he said.
The President said that in order for him to follow up on the
messages he received and prevent possible slander, senders should
attach their complete names and addresses.
The identity of senders would be fully protected by the
President, he assured.
Important complaints and information would be followed up on
immediately by the President, including those on corruption and
other serious crimes, such as illegal logging, tax evasion,
smuggling, kickbacks, terrorism and drug abuse.
"Although the messages will be sorted out, they will all come
directly to me without any screening. The team that works for me
is directly under my control without having to go through the
bureaucracy, which will prevent bias," said Susilo.
For those who do not have mobile phones, the President said
they should send complaints and information to PO BOX 9949,
Jakarta 10000.
The 9949 phone number given out by Susilo is based on his
birthday, Sept. 9, 1949.
Susilo said that over the past three days, he had received
15,360 text messages, with 19 percent of them expressing support
for his leadership, 16.5 percent expressing support for his
anticorruption drive, 14.5 percent dealing with problems faced by
state employees, 17.4 percent dealing with abuses by the security
authorities, 6.6 percent concerning infrastructure deficiencies,
and 25 percent dealing with miscellaneous issues.
Meanwhile, following the example of President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono, West Java Governor Danny Setiawan has given out a
phone number to residents wishing to lodge complaints, at
0811217434.
Danny said that since Monday, the 34 million residents of West
Java had been able to dial 0811217434 and file complaints or
express their views.
"We have provided a number, 0811217434, for text messages,
just like the President," the governor said on Wednesday.
A day after the number was announced on local radio stations,
the governor had received more than 300 text messages from people
complaining about everything from traffic to malnutrition.
Danny said that most of the complaints had been forwarded to
the relevant agencies.
The governor also plans to set up an e-mail account.