Arientha Primanita – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has again used a public press conference to criticize the performance of members of his cabinet, this time because he was informed of the Mahakam II Bridge tragedy by people other than his ministers.

Yudhoyono, speaking prior to a cabinet meeting on Friday, scolded his ministers for the failure of the central government's internal reporting systems, which he blamed on the government's inability to implement good governance.

"Let me give you example, the case of the collapsed bridge on the Mahakam river in Kutai Kartanegara district," Yudhoyono said, referring the tragedy that has claimed an estimated 39 lives.

He said he often learned of issues much more quickly than his own cabinet ministers, ordering them to implement systems to ensure they were updated as quickly as possible.

Palace insiders say ministers, particularly in cabinet meetings, are often reluctant to be bearers of bad news to Yudhoyono. Yudhoyono, in turn, often uses news conferences to rebuke ministers or officials.

The president also reminded his ministers, particularly coordinating ministers, to build effective communication with the public through the mass media, particularly through routine press conferences.

"For the sake of good communication, [you] don't have to wait for journalists to ask," he said. "If we know that in a week there are three or four issues, just explain what the government has been done or is still doing."