A number of regents in the province of Papua often left their office neglecting their duties as civil servants , Manufandu, a one time Indonesian ambassador to Colombia, said.
"This is a serious problem in regional administration in Papua. Regents leave their office for months for no clear reasons, and care little for their duties.
"They don't feel at home in their area, and prefer to spend their time in other areas such as Jakarta," he said here on Wednesday.
Manufandu said he hope the central government metes out disciplinary measures and firm sanctions against such officials.
"We live in a unitary state not a federal one. Autonomy is given to regional administrations to take care of their people. They are representatives of Jakarta in the region," he said.
"It is sad to see that regents and other senior officials of regional administrations were enjoying their time in Jakarta while their people were struggling to lift themselves out of problems such as natural disasters," he said.
He said he hoped the home affairs ministry find a new method of tightening discipline among civil servants especially regional leaders.
"Stricter discipline need to be imposed . Lazy officials have to warned and reprimanded. They should be punished if necessary," he said.
He also called on Papua governor to continue to watch over his subordinates .
The government should know what the regents have done in their respective districts, he said, adding working meeting and coordinating meeting need to be held regularly to hear reports from the regents and majors.
"The main weaknesses of almost all regional officials is that they lack knowledge and awareness of their duties and responsibility as civil servants. They tend to rely all problem to the military and police as if security is the only problem in Papua," he said.
He said regional officials did not feel at home or did not like to stay in their respective districts probably because of wrong method of community development or because their district is not a convenient to line in with poor infrastructure especially in isolated districts.
Unfortunately the regional administrations also failed to develop the spirit of self reliance among the community, he said.
He said almost all regional administrations have complained about poor infrastructure and tend to make it as an excuse for not doing their duties as expected in mountain side, valleys and other areas far from the administration center.
"Regional administration especially in Papua need to have greater sense of responsibility and sensitivity. The governor, regional legislative assembly, regents and majors must be able to plan development with priority that funds which are quite large provided by the central government could be used properly for the welfare of the people," he said.
More important is that the governor, regents and city majors should enjoy doing their jobs of taking care of their people, he said.
"They are not only administration officials but also leaders of the people and regions. That responsibility comes with their positions," he said.
Therefore it is absolutely necessary that they should feel at home in their respective areas or districts and know their people and aspirations of the people to be able to find a solution to their problems, he said.
"A leader is elected and paid to serve the people not to enjoy the facility that come with their position," he said. (WDY)
: I Gusti Bagus Widyantara
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