Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said yesterday he would push for greater independence and less interference from politicians in the bureaucratic sector as an integral process to create good governance and to stem graft.

Surayud said the public has to admit the country has to take a step back because ethics, morality, and good governance had almost vanished and that corruption has been rife over the past few years.

Nepotism has been rampant as politicians unfairly rewarded bureaucrats who supported them even if they were wrong or were their political canvassers  and destroyed those who did not. The vital bureaucratic sector has suffered because of heavy handed interference by politicians.

"Most bureaucrats lost the will to work for the country. Some inappropriately changed their behaviour and created nepotism that eroded morality,'' he said.

He was speaking at a workshop on "Pushing for National Agenda on Ethics, Good Government and AntiGraft"

The move by the government to free bureaucrats from the tight control of politicians is needed after the strong one party rule of the Thaksin government reeked havoc in the system by interfering with the bureaucratic sector and independent agencies.

He said his government intended to create a structure in which bureaucrats can enjoy greater security, more independence and less interference by politicians.

"They will be able to work without fear that they will get (morally) wrong orders (from politicians)'' he said.

Surayud elaborated how he himself was in trouble after he refused to accept "a bag filled with money" from an aide of a leader of a large political party during the runup to the general election when he was the Second Army Region chief.

"I was in a meeting in Sakhon Nakhon. I do not know how much money was in the bag. I said thanks, but I cannot accept it. My intention was not to get involved. Since then, I have been a target for not being cooperative,'' he said.

The government will discuss the new format or system that can cater to greater independence in the bureaucratic sector with other concerned agencies, he said.

However the PM said that before reforming the system, it is important that each individual does not succumb to corruption, citing his own experience as example.

He said that throughout his military career he chose to stay away from the four wrong paths often used to advance in a bureaucratic career  known in military circles as: lick feet, use money, flatter, and eat yoke (marry daughter of a boss). Surayad said he chose to use only his knowledge to climb the career path.

Culture Minister Khaisri Sriarun supported Surayud's statement that a system should be created to prevent politicians harassing bureaucrats and transferring government officials without justice.

"But how can we prevent those people from promoting people who do not have knowledge to the top ministry level? We must come up with a method to prevent ministers from appointing or rewarding their political supporters,'' she said.

PM's Office Minister Dibhavadi Meksawan agreed that the country is in dire need of a good system or mechanism to manage the reshuffle in the organisation.

"If the mechanism is bad, government officials who are not competent and are not knowledgeable are appointed to important posts,'' she said.

Social Development and Human Security Minister Paiboon Wattanasiritham said that there is no readymade formula to establish good governance in any organisation but there are five important factors that help build concrete results: leadership, good human resource management, a tight system to prevent corruption, organisational culture and public participation.

"Each ministry must also evaluate if its officials have shown progress in building good government. Evaluation can be done monthly or quarterly,'' he said.