SIEJ, Jakarta – Agus Purnomo, president’s Special Staff for Climate Change considers that the condition of the cabinet of the Indonesian government currently inefficient. He explained that there is a tradition in Indonesia every new president then there will be a reshuffle or the addition of a new Ministry. Not to mention the decentralization of authority to local governments are increasingly making the bureaucracy into a convoluted, fragmented, slow and expensive.
Indonesia currently has 39 Ministry, hundreds of non-Ministerial Department, and around 500 local governments. “From total of 39 of the Ministry, I analyze that could be downsized to mere 19 ministries,” he said at the BPPT Jakarta (14/8). With downsizing, he assesses the budget to be issued will be less, the easier the process of bureaucracy, and the easier the management of space.
According to him to the consolidation of spatial plan, General Directorate of Spatial, the Ministry of Public Works, planology of the Ministry of Forestry, environmental design of The Ministry of Environment, the National Land Agency and some other institutions related to space should be merged into one that has the authority to organize the space and give permission to land use.
Thus the resolution of disputes over land will be more easily addressed, also opens opportunities for environment conservation, as well as mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
Responding to the current government, Anwar Sanusi, Director of the Center for Analysis Studies, The National Institute of Public Administration said that the government is wasting the budget because they have to bankroll many ministries and non institutions other governments.
Based on the results of the analysis of its institution, ideally Indonesia has 20 ministries with one Presidential Administration Office. “A lot of tasks between ministries overlap, so that human resources and inefficient budget,” he said.
He gave an example, for the handling of the coastal areas in Indonesia, handled by at least three ministries, namely the Ministry of marine and Fisheries that is the General Directorate of Coastal and small islands, the Ministry of Social Affairs have been made to the handling of poverty, and the Ministry of Regional Development Lagging Area. He said, “From that example can be imagined how inefficient the work and budget system, not to mention the numerous conflicts which will be brought about.”
The Next President is Expected to be More Care to the Environment
With the various existing problems, Jatna Suprijatna Chairman of the Research Center for Climate Change University of Indonesia (UI-RCCC) said that both issues are still not considered a serious issue for immediate response. Climate change and biodiversity in Indonesia should get more attention by the upcoming Indonesia’s new president.
He explained that Indonesia is the country with the highest biodiversity in the world, was supposed to take wise measures to manage and use the resources that are owned. Indonesia has a huge potential for biological resources use.
“Some time ago I met a pharmaceutical expert from California, he discovered marine species in Manado used for cancer drugs,” said.
He explained in terms of value, keeping the biological riches in Indonesia worth more than just its economic utilization. “The Government should give a high value upon the biological resources we have,” he said.
Not to mention the environment change issues seem increasingly threatening biodiversity across the Earth. According to him all kinds of efforts should be done so that the wealth of Indonesia is not lost. Januar Hakam.