Tough warning reduces absenteeism at city hall

JAKARTA (JP): A majority of the 5,000 civil servants at City Hall showed up at work yesterday after the Idul Fitri holiday, apparently in response to tough disciplinary measures against absenteeism.

Based on rough attendance records, only 121 of the city's civil servants were absent for various reasons, ranging from being on leave, on assignment, sick or just absconding for the day.

The public order office's head, Hadi Utomo, said Governor Sutiyoso had ordered all those in charge of the city's administration offices and agencies to take stern action against delinquent officials.

The employees' names will also be recorded at the city's inspectorate.

"It's the duty of all heads of offices and agencies to take action," Hadi said.

According to city personnel supervision data, the maximum penalty for an unexplained absence is a harsh warning from the employee's unit chief.

Many civil servants showed up yesterday but primarily to deliver Idul Fitri greetings to the governor and their colleagues during halal bihalal (informal get-together) in the morning. Soon after that most returned home.

About 5,000 of the city administration's 76,000 civil servants work at City Hall.

Head of the public order office's subdivision for entertainment and public order, Toha Reno, said those officials who only attended work in the morning would still be given a warning for leaving the office early.

"Normally, City Hall operates from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. But maybe, because people are still in Idul Fitri holiday mood, nobody needed service so City Hall is quieter than usual," he said.

Djoko Brotosurjono, head of the city's inspectorate, said his office would conduct a thorough evaluation of the officials' unexplained absences and reasons for arriving late.

"We understand if they have a logical explanation for coming late to the office," he said.

"But we will not tolerate bogus excuses... especially if that official has 'routinely' made the same mistakes."

Djoko said his office would monitor attendance over the first three days after Idul Fitri and submit an official report to the governor. "This is a routine report which is prepared every year."

The governor will later announce the contents of the report, he said.

A city councilor has suggested the government declare Idul Fitri a five-day holiday on the grounds that government offices remained empty for two or three days after the official holiday.

Sutiyoso has also issued numerous instructions to city officials that they comply with the national discipline movement (GDN) by setting a good example on discipline. He has established some temporary posts in the City Hall complex to check on officials.

The inspectorate office and the public order office have conducted random operations, including checking officials' work attendance to improve civil servants' discipline, since the implementation of GDN in 1993.

The number of negligent officials caught in the routine operations was 398 last year, falling from 510 in 1996 and 440 in 1995, according to public order office data. (edt)