Cabinet Secretary: Internal Auditors Must Have Power Internally and a Clear Accountability

Cabinet Secretary shakes hand with Chairman of Indonesia’s National Government Internal Auditor (BPKP) after delivered his remarks on the 35th Anniversary of BPKP at BPKP Office, Jalan Pramuka, Wednesday (30/5). (Photo: Human Relations Division/Jay).

According to Cabinet Secretary (Seskab) Pramono Anung, to evaluate the Government in a simple way there is an easy way. “Whether the Government would like to be efficient or not, whether the Government would like to cut a multi-layered regulation or not,” Seskab addressed his remarks on the 35^th Anniversary of Indonesia’s National Government Internal Auditor (BPKP) at Auditorium of BPKP Office, Jalan Pramuka, on Wednesday (30/5) afternoon.

There are almost 42,000 regulations in Indonesia, likes statutes, government regulations, presidential regulations, and many others. This is a burden that complicates this country to become the winner in today’s global economic competition, Seskab further said.

The Government has undertaken de-bureaucratization and reform various policies so that until now it has 16 policy packages, Seskab enunciated.

“The President has instructed Minister of Economic Affairs to raise our Ease of Doing Business (EoDB)’s rank to be top 40,” Seskab said while adding even though Indonesia’s rank has risen from 189 to 72, the President is not yet satisfied.

“He has asked we must be top 50 in 2018 so that we make our serious efforts to be an efficient country with good productivity,” Seskab said while adding that now almost all rating institutions put Indonesian in BBB investment grade.

During this quarter, Indonesia’s economic development reaches 5.07. The Government in this case applies a more reformist policy, Seskab explained.

Opening investment in film industry is one of the examples, Seskab further said. “Viewers in 2015 were about 15 million, in 2017 were 48 million based on recent released data. There is a three times increase,” he elucidated while mentioning few movies for example Dilan, Warkop DKI, etc.

If the movies become box office, it means the Government makes a right policy and this policy is formulated to reform so the outcome is clear. “If we take a look at our infrastructures development, we were previously far left behind, but now are pushed to develop. In the past, we could not imagine there will be Kertajati Airport with a bigger capacity than Juanda Airport and to be fully operated on June,” Seskab explained.

Infrastructure development now, according to Seskab, is not Java-centrist anymore. Development now includes connectivity which joins all regions, that is social justice hoped by the Government.

The Gini ratio is now under 0.4 that is 0.391, Seskab further said. “The poor significantly decreased and in 2018 the Government set a target to be a single digit, under 10%,” Seskab conveyed.

As for Online Single Submission (OSS), according to Seskab, President desires a single window and online approval to limit interaction.

To be a strong nation as World Bank has predicted, we must perform those. ”World Bank, including McKinsey and other world institutions, has predicted that in 2045 we will be number 4, number 5 in the world because our demographic and economic power. It was predicted that we will be after China, America, European Union, and India,” Seskab illustrated.

It is a hope that if OSS is completed, Indonesia’s EoDB rank will be top 40.

Regarding internal controlling system among the Government, Seskab asserted, that there is a new additional task given by the Government in every limited meeting, in this case directly from the President to Chairman of BPKP. “A good government will be established if internal auditors carry out their tasks well, not only as a symbol, but they must have a real power internally as well,” Seskab said while adding that internal auditors make a report directly to the President.

“Indeed, this must be undertaken, to reform, and in my opinion this country will be good, strong, if their auditors are committed, the internal process is strong. What we can do if there is no strict control internally,” Seskab explained.

Also presented on the occasion were Chairman of BPKP Ardan Adiperdana and all officials of BPKP. (FID/EN) (EPI/YM/Naster)