Tony Hotland, Jakarta – If you are one of the millions awaiting a response after sending a letter or SMS of complaint to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, don't take it personally.
Only a fraction of the nearly two million short message service complaints and thousands of letters sent to PO Box 9949 have been referred to related government institutions since the President launched the service for public feedback last June.
And, despite the President's order for follow-up, most institutions who have received complaints have dragged their feet in responding, A total of 1,006 reports have been referred to ministries, institutions and local administrations from the 1.92 million SMS and 15,528 letters received as of Feb. 6, Sardan Marbun, the President's special staff for legal and corruption eradication and manager of PO Box 9949, said Tuesday.
Most complaints concern unfair and protracted law enforcement procedures; alleged corruption, illegal logging and illegal fees; land conflicts, dismissals and arbitrary actions; mismanagement of the government's cash assistance to the poor, school operation financing and free health service; as well as support for the government's fight against corruption.
Sardan said the President selected complaints with enough evidence to warrant a response, although he acknowledged Yudhoyono was not able to read all the SMS and letters.
A total of 516 reports have been referred to ministries but only 105 have been followed up; 143 to state institutions, such as the National Land Agency (BPN), Bank Indonesia, state telecommunications firm PT Telkom and state electricity firm PT PLN, with 20 reports forthcoming; while there were only 22 responses to the 347 complaints conveyed to local administrations.
Ministries and institutions that were the subject of a significant number of complaints were the National Education Ministry, National Police, Home Ministry, Office of State Minister for Administrative Reform and the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry.
Local administrations receiving the brunt of the reports were West Java, East Java, Jakarta, North Sumatra, Central Java and East Kalimantan.
Sardan said the President did not set a deadline for responses, but he would be able to determine from the follow-up actions the seriousness of the institutions. Many ministries and local administrations have been unable to produce responses despite several requests, Sardan added.
Messages that were not referred included ones of support for the government, or complaints with little supporting evidence.
Despite the lackluster response from officials, Sardan said Yudhoyono wanted to keep the complaint lines open. "With time, there are actually fewer messages and letters being sent, but they're more accurate and complete. Thus, the President continues to expect the public to send more input to help him," he said.