Traunt civil servants to be warned

Traunt civil servants to be warned

State Minister for Administrative Reforms Faisal Tamin vowed
on Thursday to punish civil servants who extended their vacations
after two days of official holidays during this week's Idul Fitri
celebrations.

This year's Idul Fitri holidays fell on Dec. 16 and 17, but as
of Thursday afternoon most civil servants in Jakarta and many
other cities across the country had not yet returned to work.

Tamin criticized delinquent civil servants and ordered their
superiors to punish them with warnings.

"If they (employees) were absent on Tuesday, it is still
tolerable. But if they were absent until Wednesday or Thursday,
they deserve to get a warning," he was quoted by Antara as
saying.

He said the government would not allow civil servants to
continue their vacations only for leisure.

Tamin was livid on Thursday when he visited the Ministry of
National Education at 8 a.m. and saw only eight of some 250 civil
servants working. Staff members at the ministry claimed that the
remaining employees had been given permission to have extended
vacations.

Later he went to the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, the
Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry for Communications
and Information.

In these ministries, Tamin also found many civil servants away
from their offices and became very concerned.

After visiting the North Jakarta mayoralty office, the
minister also stopped by Jakarta's central post office in Pasar
Baru, where officials are required to continue to work two weeks
before and after both Idul Fitri and Christmas holidays.

Tamin, who also chairs the Indonesian Civil Servants' Corps
(Korpri), said delinquent officials should get a verbal caution.
"But in this case I will ask the department heads to issue them a
written reprimand," he added.

Faisal stressed that if superiors were reluctant to punish
their subordinates who failed to serve the public and return to
work, it would put at risk the former's future careers.

"We must dare to take a harsh action. If they (superiors) are
unwilling to do their jobs, they need to quit," he said sternly.

It has also been common in Indonesia that many civil servants
or private employees are absent from their offices on normal
working days between official holidays.

Next Monday, for example, is the Christmas holiday. Many
workers and officials are expected to be absent from their
offices from Friday until Wednesday.--JP