TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
ICW reports preemployment program to Indonesian Ombudsman for alleged maladministration
"We urge the government to stop the preemployment card program and we hope that the Ombudsman conducts an investigation related to the alleged maladministration in the program," Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) activist Tibiko Zabar said.
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
A person holds up a smartphone showing the applicant registration page of the government's preemployment card mobile app on April 20 in Jakarta. (Antara/Aditya Pradana Putra)
G
raft watchdog Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has reported the government's preemployment card program to the Indonesian Ombudsman for alleged maladministration, urging the institution to open an investigation into it.
"We urge the government to stop the preemployment card program and we hope that the Ombudsman conducts an investigation related to alleged maladministration in the program," ICW activist Tibiko Zabar said at the Indonesian Ombudsman office in South Jakarta on Thursday shortly after submitting the report.
In its report, the ICW said that the program, a mix of cash aid and an upskilling subsidy, violated several regulations in selecting its partner companies.
The government selected seven companies to aid with the program, which is managed by the office of the coordinating economic minister. They are e-commerce platforms Tokopedia and Bukalapak and online learning platforms Skill Academy by Ruangguru, Pintaria, Sekolahmu, Pijarmahir and MauBelajarApa.
Read also: Conflict of interest? Public questions government's relationship with start-ups
ICW activist Wana Alamsyah said that the government established a committee for the program on March 17 and signed a cooperation agreement with the partners on March 20 before issuing a regulation on the technical implementation of the contracts, which he said indicated maladministration.
Wana also took issue with the digital learning platforms’ curation of courses for the program, alleging that the process was too rushed.
"We suspect that the program […] management and the digital platforms did not curate [the courses] well," he said.
Tibiko also raised the issue of conflicts of interest in the course curation process.
"There is a double role where the digital platform is not only in charge of curating but also organizes the training courses," he said.
Read also: Preemployment card draws criticism as workers ‘need cash aid’
Previously, commissioner Laode Ida said that the Indonesian Ombudsman had received many complaints regarding the program, calling its concept unfinished and its technical implementation "half-baked".
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has also evaluated the program and pointed out the same issues raised by the ICW.
Following the KPK's evaluation, the government has temporarily halted participant registration for the program, promising an overhaul to address the concerns.
