Officials Should not be Afraid of Political Pressures: Dipo

Jakarta (Antara) - Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam hoped that government officials should not be afraid of facing political pressures in carrying out their duties. "State officials should not be afraid of politicians if they have facts of truth. They should fight, no need to be afraid of them" the cabinet secretary said in written statement made available to Antara here on Thursday. Dipo has previously made the statement in front of the participants of the State Administrative Institute's (LAN) leadership training on Wednesday. He asked state officials and civil servants not to be scared of politicians. "If we are threatened by them, do not be scared, just fight them," he added. The leadership training participants made a visit to Dipo's office on Wednesday to receive directives on the implementation of government administration management. LAN Chief Agus Dwiyanto said that beginning 2013, LAN has been taking additional subject to its training program by adding visits directly to resource persons. The aim is that participants are expected to obtain information directly from the sources who are linked with the government administration. The cabinet secretary explained his main tasks and function, namely facilitating the president and the vice president on cabinet administration such as the drafting of a presidential regulation, a presidential decision and a presidential instruction. On the occasion, the cabinet secretary denied the allegation that the president and vice president ignored corruption cases. "There is the impression that it was as if only the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is fighting against corruption. The government did not make efforts to prevent corruption. This all is not true," Dipo said. Dipo told the participants that regional government officials such as governors and district heads/mayors were the extension of the central government's hands. (*)