PRESIDENT: AVOID POLITICALLY-MOTIVATED APPOINTMENTS

Jakarta, Dec 2 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono here on Tuesday emphasized the importance of political interest-free appointment of central and local government officials to avoid conflict of interest that would eventually only harm the people.

He made the statement when receiving and giving directives to 92 participants of the 42nd regular course of the National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas) at the presidential palace.

He said "it is obviously wrong for political parties to meddle in the affairs of secretaries general, directors general or other first-echelon officials and it must be avoided."

Therefore, he called on governors, mayors and district heads to free themselves from any political interest when appointing officials.

In another part of his address, the president said that national leadership was not limited to the president and vice president but it also covered national-scale leadership in various sectors.

He said a leader at least had to have three things, which could be used as a criteria for determining a leader, namely integrity, capacity and performance.

He however said that as a human being, a leader also had shortcomings and might not be able to meet the expectations of all parties.

"Do not think that a leader can solve all problems in the country. The progress of the state is determined by various factors, systems and cultures as well as the complexity of the problems being faced," he said.

He said that a government indeed could do many things but it could not be expected to be always successful.