Tough warning reduces absenteeism at city hall
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)