This recent article is from the JakartaGlobe website for global news. It addresses the need for a revised ethics code for Indonesian lawmakers. The article states that paying for sex and gambling may already be illegal, but lawmakers supposedly need reminding with a "souped-up" code of ethics. The House of Ethics Council unveiled Wednesday a proposal for a new code for its members. There are many rules that members of various houses must abide by due to their positions of power. They are all banned from going to places considered to be ethically, morally, religiously, and normatively improper, such as brothels and casinos. The draft code also proposed that lawmakers be banned from saying or doing things in public deemed improper, both inside and outside the House building. Violators are now receiving sanctions according to house rules and the worst punishment is that they could be removed from their position in the House. This new code is said to fill in the gaps and solve issues that have been a problem in the past with these individuals. The article concludes by saying, If it is against the law, then it must be against ethics,” the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker said.
This article strongly relates to the style approach of leadership, which focuses on what leaders do and how they act. If Indonesian leaders and lawmakers are breaking their current code and making unethical decisions when it comes to their current laws and regulations, then they are clearly not fulfilling their roles as leaders. These leaders cannot fulfill the task and relationship behaviors associated with their positions if they do not abide by the ethical codes of their country.
-Josh Dlabal
I found this article to be very intriguing since the number of unethical business situations have significantly increased throughout the past 10 years all around the globe. I strongly believe that the proposal of a new code of ethical conduct is a good starting point for lawmakers. However, I do not frankly agree with some of the proposed changes. Many organizations are revising internal policies in the effort to discourage and prevent unethical situations. In the article, a member of the Golkar Party stated, “Although it was not that the council had received reports of lawmakers behaving badly, we just don’t want this to happen (Rachman).” I believe that a significant improvement in the ethics code will necessitate “requiring lawmakers to put the public’s interest first before their own (Rachman).” In addition, there are other aspects of the ethics code that need to be modified such as the conditions of regulating gifts that lawmakers can accept. I agree with Fitra that the old code on that particular subject was much clearer and should not have been revised. In sum, I strongly believe that it is extremely vital to revise the rules and regulations of ethics code that govern organization’s ethical behaviors.
ReplyDelete-Adam Kalkirtz