Sutiyoso 'should include' NGOs, city councilors in reform team
Sutiyoso 'should include' NGOs, city councilors in reform team
JAKARTA (JP): A councilor has suggested Governor Sutiyoso
include city councilors and NGO representatives in a reform team
founded recently to clean the administration of corruption,
collusion and nepotism.
Ali Imran Husein of Commission D for development affairs said
yesterday the team, called the task force of control and
supervision, would not work effectively if it consisted of only
city administration officials.
"How can the team members properly carry out the tasks if the
offenses are committed by their colleagues?" asked Ali of the
United Development Party faction.
"Thus, the team should involve councilors and NGO activists so
that it can truly carry out their function.
If not, their credibility will be questionable," he told The
Jakarta Post.
Sutiyoso announced Friday the establishment of the team as
part of his efforts to implement reform of the city
administration, dubbed by many as home to many corrupt officials.
The establishment of the team is meant to answer the
increasing public demands to have clean officials, a transparent
bureaucracy and quicker public service, the governor said.
The team is led by Deputy Governor for Administrative Affairs
Abdul Kahfi; he will be assisted by other high-ranking officials.
The team is to work on four major issues: the city's public
service, the budget, expenditure and law and organization.
According to councilor Ali, the team might face difficulties
in carrying out their missions because corruption, collusion and
nepotism had became so deeply rooted among city administration
officials.
"It's easier to find projects which have links with the dirty
practices than those which do not," he said.
He cited, for example, the cases of the appointment of city
secretary Fauzi Bowo and the chronic financial problems of city-
owned companies.
According to him, the appointment of Fauzi, the former head of
the city tourism agency, was against a regulation which states
that the city secretary should be a former secretary's assistant,
mayor or head of the city's Development Planning Board.
"It's just an example of a nepotistic practice," he said.
Like other city-owned firms, PT Grafika Jaya printing company,
never paid contributions to the city, he said.
"And they were never investigated," Ali said.
His idea, however, was rejected by Agus Pambagio, vice
chairman of the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI).
"It's O.K. questioning the credibility of the team members
because many people have a negative image of them.
But it will be wasting time and money if the administration
invites other people," he said.
He, therefore, urged Jakartans to give the team time to work,
three months for example, before making any judgment.
"For us, we'll watch their work from outside," said Agus.
(ind)