T

he newly established Central Information Commission (KIP) has been urged to widen its network within civil society as it will likely face great challenges in providing information given the Indonesia's bureaucracy's culture of secrecy.

Secretary general of Transparency International (TII), Teten Masduki, told a discussion Tuesday that the commission would deal with information and secrecy, especially that related to budgets and the procurement of goods and services.

"The commission needs to develop good cooperation within civil society to be able to break through this culture of secrecy. Otherwise, the commission will be weak," he said.

Given its important role in mediating access to public information, which is key to ensuring good governance, the commission should establish effective procedures, he said.

"In a corrupt government culture, information becomes a commodity, that is the reason why there are many requests *for information* from the public that are delayed," he said.

"Usually such postponement creates a *stimulus' and that is what the commission needs to overcome."

Subagyo, director of the Communication and Information Ministry's government communication institution, said he expects the KIP would encourage government officials to change their mindset.

"I hope there will be a continuous learning process for the public servants to change their mindsets from *to-be-served' to *to-serve'," he said.

The government officiated seven members for the commission on July 16: Abdul Rahman Ma'mun, Amiruddin, Ramly Amin Simbolon, Heny S. Widianingsih; Ahmad Alamsyah Saragih, Dono Prasetyo and Usman Abdhali Watik.

They were chosen after a "fit and proper" test was conducted from May 6 to May 7 by the House of Representatives' Commission I overseeing defense, communication and information issues.

The commission was set up as stipulated by the 2008 Law on Public Information. The KIP is assigned to determine standard technical regulations for public information and disputes over public information.

Commission member Alamsyah said the members would, within 100 days of being inaugurated, focus on finishing internal regulations, including settling on a code of ethics, electing a chairman and deputy chairman, defining job descriptions and configuring standard guidance for public information and its support systems.

Asked on the commission's stance on the controversial state secrecy bill, which is being discussed by Commission I, Alamsyah said he did not see it as being against the Public Information Law.

"We met with Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono on July 18 to discuss the bill," he said.