Complicated red tape and poor coordination delayed the processes whereby citizens should get access to public information at government offices, despite the coming into force of the Public Information Law on Friday.
Lack of the proposed information commissions as mandated by the new law result in govern-ment offices bouncing back re-quests from citizens seeking information.
“Citizens, including journalists, need to go to the local finance department with a covering letter explaining the purpose of their information request if they need current reports on the municipal budget,” Roy, a communication and information staff, told The Jakarta Post.
He said applicants could visit the communication and information department to get general information on the annual performance and programs of the municipality.
“The system is still not integrated yet, and we hope that in the future citizens could obtain such information through a single platform, including a website” he said.
However, when accessed on Friday the municipal website was still under construction.
The House of Representatives passed the Public Information Law on April 30, 2008.
The law requires all public institutions, including government institutions at all levels, political parties, and non-governmental organizations, to allow citizens to obtain public information.
These institutions are also obliged to release relevant public information periodically and to appoint special staff in charge of the distribution and management of documents and information.
Ironically, the historic new law appears totally alien to judicial institutions like the Supreme Court, where the Post tried to seek a copy of the case review verdict on the bribery case involving businesswoman Artalyta Suryani, now serving four and a half years in jail, six months shorter than the five-year sentence given by the Corruption Court in July 2008.
Nobody at the court could serve citizens to obtain the additional public information required.
There was also complicated red tape at the Jakarta public works agency with applicants needing to fill out a clarification form to request the public information needed, which would be forwarded to the agency chief, and then await his approval.
If the request was endorsed, then the chief would release the information with the help of the agency’s subunit heads.
He also recommended that citizens notify the agency prior to coming to make the request for information, so that his department could prepare the necessary procedure.
Commenting on the first day of the implementation of the new law, the city communication, information, and public relations agency chief Nurachman said that the administration had provided the infrastructure to support its agencies.
“We are making efforts to perfect it. Citizens may reserve the right to obtain public information with utmost service,” he said.
However, the city administration has been behind schedule in forming the Provincial Information Commission (KIP), which is mandated by the law.
KIP, as an independent body, functions to implement the law, establish the standard operating procedures of information service, and as a resolver of disputes.
At the national level, only two provinces, namely Central and East Java have established KIPs. (tsy)
Bagus BT Saragih contributed to this story.
