The Emergence Of A Circular Of Civil Servants Is Prohibited From Meetings Outside The Office In Today's Memory, 17 November 2014

JAKARTA Memories of today, 10 years ago, 17 November 2014, the Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform (PAN-RB), Yuddy Chrisnandi issued a circular prohibiting civil servants from meeting outside the office. The prohibition was carried out to make savings efforts.

Previously, civil servants often held meetings outside the office, not new goods. They usually hold meetings at five-star hotels. In fact, for the issue of poverty. The waste of the budget has received criticism from everywhere.

The lives of government officials are a reflection of the life of the nation and state. If they appear simple it will bring the impression of kindness. However, if they appear to show off their wealth, social disappointment could arise.

President Suharto had repeatedly reminded officials/civil servants not to be luxurious in public. They are required to live a simple life. This condition did not last long. The successor actually limped. Efforts to show off luxury come to the surface.

His meetings are often held in star hotels. In fact, government offices to governors have sufficient space to accommodate many meeting participants. Uniquely, sometimes officials use meetings in luxury hotels to get an idea of how poverty is in Indonesia.

This condition makes many parties sad. The urgency of meetings outside the office is considered non-existent. The agenda also often has trivial nuances. This means that the results obtained do not match the high price of meetings in star hotels.

Criticism has also emerged from everywhere. State officials are considered insensitive to the lives of the poor. Moreover, the budget for hotels can actually be diverted to finance various government programs related to the poor.

The Minister of PAN-RB, Yuddy Chrisnandi, was also sad with unnecessary meeting activities outside the office. He also plans to prohibit officials and civil servants from holding meetings outside the office on the grounds of budget efficiency. Yuddy's intention also led to criticism.

"We ask the government to review the policy again. That is the second largest after oil and gas. Of course, hotels have a significant contribution to Regional Original Revenue (PAD). Therefore, the policy will certainly affect the occupancy and meeting room," said the chairman of the Association of Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants (PHRI), Yanti Sukamdani, quoted on the kontan page, November 7, 2014.

The presence of criticism did not make Yuddy dizzy. He continues to carry out his agenda to prohibit meeting activities outside the office for civil servants. Yuddy also issued an official edigree letter prohibiting civil servants from meeting outside the office on November 17, 2014.

The Circular Letter numbered 11 of 2014 concerning Restrictions on Meetings/Raps Outside the Office. The ban will be effective from November 30, 2014. He also asked all elements of government to comply with applicable regulations.

'Order all government agency activities in their respective environments or in other government agencies. Unless it involves the number of participants in the activity whose capacity is impossible to accommodate to be carried out in their respective agencies or other government agencies.'

Stopping plans for consignment/Focus Group Discussion (FGD) activities and other technical meetings outside the office. As in hotels/villa/cottage/resort, as long as there are meeting room facilities within each government agency or government agencies in its area that are adequate," the contents of the circular were as quoted on the Cabinet Secretary's website, November 17, 2014.