Rendi Akhmad Witular And Tony Hotland, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has warned policymakers not to jettison the public interest in favor of the interests of their relatives, ethic groups or associates when formulating development plans and policies.
Speaking before local leaders and bureaucrats Monday, Yudhoyono emphasized the need for accountability in respect of every decision as the government was directly elected by the people.
"Although we may have ethnic, family, political or religious affiliations, we must prioritize the public interest and be accountable to the public. We must be true nationalists. This is what the people are longing for.
"We must not perform our duties in a short-sighted way that only benefits our particular political party, relatives, ethnic group or religion," said Yudhoyono.
Despite a crackdown on corruption, various surveys and reports have confirmed that graft continues to be widespread, with many public officials still abusing their powers so as to benefit their favored causes or associates.
Concerns have been expressed that some development programs at the local level, economic policies at the central level, and planned government-sponsored infrastructure projects directly favor companies linked to top local and central government functionaries.
Although Yudhoyono has never specifically pointed the finger at anyone in particular, his recent remarks show that these concerns have reached the President's ear.
"President Susilo knows well that there are a number of senior functionaries who are taking advantage of their positions so as to advance the interests of certain beneficiaries. The President is determined to take steps to prevent this," said an official at the Presidential Palace.
In his speech, Yudhoyono said that he would set up a special team consisting of government officials, non-governmental organization (NGO) representatives and academics to review the overall development planning process.
The review would cover the issues stressed by the President during the presidential campaign in 2004. These include reducing poverty, reducing unemployment, improving education and health, upgrading infrastructure, improving public services, overhauling the bureaucracy and combating corruption.
Although still popular, Yudhoyono currently finds himself in a dilemma as a result of his inability to quickly attract new investment to the country – a crucial prerequisite for job creation and poverty reduction.