Jakarta – Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Tjahjo Kumolo agrees with the position taken by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) in rejecting candidate state civil servants (CPNS) that are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT).
According to Kumolo, there are no violations or problems with the AGO’s position. “I agree with the AGO. There isn’t a problem”, said Kumolo in the Pecenongan area of Central Jakarta on Friday November 22.
Kumolo also does not have a problem with the AGO rejecting CPNS applicants who are pregnant saying that he feels that quite legitimate for the AGO to this.
“I think it’s quite legitimate. They want people who are perfect, right, that’s allowed, there isn’t a problem”, he said.
The prohibition on LGBT people and pregnant women applying for jobs as CPNS was raised by the Ombudsman based on reports they have received. There are number of ministries and government institutions which are applying these restrictions – both at the regional level as well as the central government.
The AGO and the Defense Ministry are two such institutions. The AGO has been reluctant to speak at length about the issue of discrimination against certain groups.
Although they admit to placing restrictions on CPNS applicants on the grounds that the AGO only wants public servants who are normal.
The People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) leadership has also spoken out saying that they do not want prohibitions that show indications of discrimination against certain groups wanting to apply as CPNS.
The most important thing for the MPR, is that CPNS job applicants have not broken the law.
Kumolo has also spoken about the CPNS job applicant website which often cannot be access towards the end of the registration period. He admits to knowing about the problem and said they will strive to constantly improve the system to minimalise difficulties.
“Yes, basically we will continue to update it, we will continue to evaluate it, sometimes it’s a weather related factor, but whatever the factor is in principle human resources and the system is already great”, he said. (tst/bmw)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “Menpan-RB Dukung Kejaksaan Agung Tolak LGBT daftar CPNS”.]
