State-Owned Enterprise Officials Criticized for Excessive Ego and Poor Communication

The Governor of Jakarta highlighted the persistent issue of excessive ego among officials of regional state-owned enterprises (BUMDs). He assessed that this is one of the main causes of stalled communication.

This was conveyed at the BUMD Leaders Forum in Ancol, North Jakarta. He asserted that ego issues often hinder collaboration that should be able to provide significant benefits for the city.

“Our main problem is often the ego among officials, including BUMD officials, it’s too big. Communication does not run well,” he said.

He cited the suboptimal synergy between the Ancol area and the Jakarta International Stadium (JIS), even though both are under the authority of the Provincial Government.

According to him, for years these two assets have not been maximally connected due to weak communication. In fact, if synergized, the benefits could be felt by the companies and the public.

“Even though Ancol is majority-owned by the Provincial Government, next to it is JIS, also owned by the Provincial Government. They have not been synergized for a long time,” he said.

Now, the Provincial Government has begun integrating the two areas, one method being the construction of a connecting bridge approximately 350 meters long. He said this step is able to answer various classic problems, such as traffic congestion during events at JIS.

He even admitted to having experienced severe congestion firsthand when attending an event at the stadium. “At that time I came with the President, wanting to watch a concert. The President’s car couldn’t leave for over two hours,” he revealed.

Going forward, he asked all BUMD ranks to lower their sectoral egos and prioritize open communication. He emphasized the importance of building a collaborative work culture so that various problems can be resolved more quickly.

“If communication runs well, openly, transparently, problems can be easily consulted on and decided,” he said.