Former UGM Rector, Prof. Dr. Sofian Effendi, M.P.I.A., regretted that ministers' official cars are not national or domestic cars, but luxurious imported ones.
“Unfortunately, Indonesia does not have a national car. In other countries such as Malaysia and India, the state car is a national one. It does not mean that they do not have luxurious cars, but they are proud of having their own national car,†said the public administration expert, Wednesday (30/12), at University Club, UGM, when attending the 70th anniversary of Prof. Dr. Djoko Suryo.
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Sofian was disappointed that until now Indonesia has not developed national car production. Instead, Indonesia is a market for imported cars. “I wonder why the government put more trust in imported cars than in domestic ones,†he said.
According to Sofian, the government actually can change the car auction regulation that has been existing since the New Order. In state accountancy system, active asset only has values for five years. After that, the value decreases to zero. “By the end of the five year period, the value is zero. The car is offered to former ministers for a very low price,†he suggested.
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In this way, Sofian considered that providing ministers with luxurious official cars is not a waste, because many other bigger facilities are given to state officials. “Seeing the need, it is not a waste, but the current car has not reflected the symbol of our government,†he ended.
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