Promoting Relatives in Government Institutions Inevitable: VP

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Vice President Jusuf “JK” Kalla said the practice of promoting relatives at government institutions was inevitable and not always bad. 

“Promoting good [quality people] should not be a problem,” JK said when opening a national coordination meeting at Grand Hotel Sahid, Jakarta, on Wednesday, June 10, 2015. 

According to JK, institutions can recruit qualified candidates by advertising job vacancies. However, JK added, not many good people apply for a position in fear of making mistakes or being a failure. Therefore, JK suggested that government institutions must find both qualified and good candidates for certain positions. 

“Therefore a CEO candidate does not apply [for the position]. Instead, the best one is picked,” he said. 

According to JK, civil servants play an important role in a country, since they are the driving force of the state administration. Indonesia currently has 1,192 heads of administration that include a president, ministers, governors, regents, mayors and their deputies. 

Kalla believes that the the civil servant recruitment system, which has been implemented over the last few years, will promote a healthy competition. It means, Kalla added, leaders will be elected for their qualifications as opposed to connections. 

TIKA PRIMANDARI