Trade Ministry continues effort to create accountable and trusted civil servants

Jakarta, InfoPublik – State Civil Apparatus (ASN) as civil servants must have high integrity. Therefore, building an image of a clean, professional, and serving bureaucracy is not an easy task.

“With the spirit of bureaucracy reform and high commitment, we will be able to prove that we could be the trusted civil servants and give the best for this nation,” said Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita in his speech while opening a discussion under the theme “Building an Anti-Corruption Culture Among Trade Ministry Employees.” The discussion took place on Monday (4/3) at Trade Ministry’s office, Jakarta.

The discussion was organized as a form of ministry’s commitment in keeping the bureaucracy reform effort as mandated by President Joko Widodo. The topics of corruption prevention and civil servants integrity were discussed in the event. It presented the Corruption Eradication Commision (KPK) deputy chairman Laode Muhammad Syarif, National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department chief Ari Dono Sukmanto, and Attorney General Office’s junior attorney for special crimes Arminsyah.

Trade Minister assessed that most of the ministry’s ASNs are committed to do the best for the nation. “Our objective as the state officials is to do sincere work for the sake of the people,” he added.

He also stated that the ministry’s ASNs must also be transparent to business sector. President instructed that the role of Trade Ministry is not only as regulator but also as economic accelerator in trade sector. “We must keep our integrity. Once we commit corruption, we will lose our prestige and be unable to work for the people,” he said.

To the business sector, the minister stated that we have passed the appeals and invitations era. It is time for action. “Recently, we revoke the license of a horticulture importer. We have the power to do that,” he explained.

He explained further in meat sector. “Quota in meat sector is problematic and has a potential to be a corruption area. That’s why we loosen the quota and the price decreases. Recently, there were some meat importers who committed smuggling. We made strict action and we did so to prevent corruption in this ministry,” he said.

Bad effect of corruption in government agencies could spread adversely. “If the corruptive behaviour is massive and systematic, we would not be able to compete with other nations. We could even be loose from other countries if we are inefficient. In the end, corruption would obstruct the competition vision and obstruct us to stand equal with other nations in the world,” he said.

He reaffirmed the message from President Joko Widodo that had been delivered on the commemoration of Anti-corruption Day in 2015 and 2016 in order to realize the good and clean governance. 

Meanwhile, KPK deputy chairman Laode Muhammad Syarif in the discussion session stated that integrity must be a main part of the ministry’s ASNs in conducting their jobs. He reckoned that anti-corruption education must be internalized. “Anti-corruption education would not be finished after one session of lecture, it must be internalized,” he added.

Building good and corruption-free governance is very important. “A good system would effectively prevent corruption. Bureaucracy reform acceleration, including public service reform and licensing, is one measure that could be taken,” he continued.

A good and clean bureaucracy development could also be conducted through the use of information technology, such as e-cash flow management system, e-budgetting, e-purchasing system, e-catalog, e-monitoring, whistleblowing system utilization, and online complaint system. The same idea was also stated by National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department chief Ari Dono Sukmanto.

“The effort to increase supervision could also be conducted by developing relevant system, for example, by developing applications for the activities. It would make the budgeting and the activity stages transparent,” said Ari.

However, Trade Minister considered that IT-based system development is not the only answers. “IT-based system development must be accompanied by good supervision from internal supervisor [inspectorate] and by inviting public participation through information transparency,” he concluded. (Translator: Erik Limantara)