Change In State System Must Be Planned

Jakarta, Dec 11 (Antara) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Wednesday that good planning was needed before introducing any changes in the state system, which in turn must also be done gradually. He made the statement during his speech at the Nationhood Congress organized by the Editor-in-Chief Forum, where he received a document of commitment produced by the forum, which contains a number of demands for improving the functioning of the state`s administration. "What is the best is, according to me and if the Indonesian people agree, is that changes must be made and they must be planned well. They must not be implemented carelessly, hastily, emotionally based on certain political agenda and the interests of certain parties," he said. President Yudhoyono said that change was something one could not avoid. "Saying that a system has already been devised and therefore must be preserved runs against the law of the nature." However, while making changes one must preserve things that are already good and only replace those that are considered inferior. President Yudhoyono said there were minimally 13 questions that must first be answered before changes can be made to improve a statehood that covers a system of government, an economic system, a state financial system, central-regional government relations, state-people relations, decentralization and a system of electing regional heads. He said the questions can be treated as homework for study with regards to improving the current system. A number of national figures also delivered speeches at the Congress, which was themed "Re-thinking State Guidelines towards the 100th Anniversary of Indonesia`s Independence." The event was held on Dec. 10 and 11 and some of the speakers included House Speaker Marzuki Alie, Chairman of the State Audit Board Hadi Poernomo, Chairman of the Regional Representatives Council Irman Gusman, Defense Forces Commander General Moeldoko and Constitutional Court Chief Justice Hamdan Zoelva. Other figures speaking at the Congress were a number of cabinet ministers, political party leaders and state-owned company executives.