Gov’t Issues Presidential Regulation on Presidential Staff Office
Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko (white shirt) poses for a picture on an occasion, at the Presidential Staff Office, Jakarta. (Presidential Staff Office’s PR)
In a bid to oversee national priority programs, to design presidential political communication, and to manage strategic issues, the Government has decided to issue a Presidential Regulation on Presidential Staff Office.
Based on this consideration, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on 18 December 2019 signed Presidential Regulation Number 83 of 2019 on the Presidential Staff Office.
The regulation states that the Presidential Staff Office is a non-structural institution under and directly responsible to the President and is led by Presidential Chief of Staff.
“The Presidential Staff Office has the task of providing supports to the President and Vice President in controlling national priority programs, political communication, and the management of strategic issues,” Article 2 of the regulation reads.
The Presidential Regulation states that in carrying out the tasks as referred to, the Presidential Staff Office has the following functions:
- to control national priority programs to ensure programs are implemented according to the President’s vision and mission;
- to provide support in the acceleration of the implementation of national priority programs and strategic issues;
- to monitor and evaluate the implementation of national priority programs and strategic issues;
- to solve the problems of national priority programs comprehensively which occur during its implementation;
- to manage strategic issues;
- to manage communication strategies within the Presidential Institutions;
- to manage political communication strategies and information dissemination;
- to deliver data analysis and strategic information in order to support the decision-making process;
- to conduct the administration of the Presidential Staff Office; and
- to implement other functions assigned by the President.
The Presidential Regulation regulates that the Presidential Staff Office consists of: a. Presidential Chief of Staff; b. Vice Presidential Chief of Staff; c. Deputy; and d. Professionals.
The Presidential Chief of Staff, according to the regulation, is responsible to lead the implementation of the tasks and functions of the Presidential Staff Office and is under and responsible to the President.
Meanwhile, the Vice Presidential Chief of Staff is responsible to assist the Presidential Chief of Staff in leading the implementation of tasks of the Presidential Staff Office.
“The Presidential Chief of Staff and the Vice Presidential Chief of Staff constitute a unitary element of the chief of the Presidential Staff Office,” Article 6 paragraph (3) of this Presidential Regulation reads.
In the meantime, Deputy, according to this regulation, is under and responsible to the Presidential Chief of Staff and has the responsibility to carry out the Presidential Staff Office tasks in their respective fields.
Professionals are subordinate and responsible to the Deputy. The professionals as referred to consist of: a. Senior Expert; b. Middle Expert; c. Junior Expert, and d. Skilled Expert.
The regulation also states that in carrying out its tasks and functions, the Presidential Chief of Staff may form a special team and task force across ministries and/or related institutions to handle certain problems.
In addition, the Presidential Staff Office is allowed to use consultants’ services outside of the Government whenever necessary and as long as does not harm the interests of the country and can be accounted for in accordance with statutory provisions.
“Further provisions on the organization and work procedures of the Secretariat of the Presidential Staff Office are stipulated by the minister who carries out government affairs in the field of state secretariat according to proposal of the Presidential Chief of Staff, after coordinating with the minister who administers government affairs in state apparatus and bureaucratic reform,” Article 15 of this regulation reads.
According to the Presidential Regulation, the Presidential Chief of Staff and Vice Presidential Chief of Staff are appointed and dismissed by the President. Its deputy is appointed and dismissed by the President at suggestion from the Presidential Chief of Staff, while the Professionals are appointed and dismissed by the Presidential Chief of Staff.
“The term of office of the Presidential Chief of Staff is at the longest, the same as the President’s tenure. The term of office of the Vice Presidential Chief of Staff, Deputy, and Professionals is at the longest, the same as the term of office of the Presidential Chief of Staff,” Article 17 paragraph (1 and 2) of this Presidential Regulation reads.
This regulation also mentions that the Presidential Chief of Staff, Vice Presidential Chief of Staff, Deputy, and Professionals may be appointed from civil servants or non-civil servants.
The Presidential Chief of Staff, this regulation reads, is given financial rights and other facilities at Ministerial level, whereas the Vice Presidential Chief of Staff is given financial rights and other facilities at Deputy Ministerial level.
The Deputy is given financial rights and other facilities at the level of Middle-high Leadership Position or a structural official of echelon I.a. Senior Expert is given financial rights and other facilities at the level of Middle-high Leadership Position or a structural official of echelon I.b.
Middle Expert is given financial rights and other facilities at the level of First-level Leadership Position or a structural official of echelon II.a. In addition, Junior Expert and Skilled Expert are given financial rights and other facilities at the level of office administrator or echelon III.a.
“Presidential Chief of Staff, Vice Presidential Chief of Staff, Deputy, and Professionals who are not civil servants, if they are dismissed or have ended their terms of office, will not be given a pension and/or severance pay” Article 26 of this regulation reads.
The regulation also mentions that within the Presidential Staff Office, a maximum of five Special Staff can be appointed responsible to the Presidential Chief of Staff.
Financial rights and other facilities for Special Staff, according to this regulation, are granted at the level of Middle-high Leadership Position or a structural official of echelon I.b.
With the enactment of this Presidential Regulation, Presidential Regulation Number 26 of 2015 on the Presidential Staff Office is revoked and declared invalid.
“This Presidential Regulation shall apply as of the date of its promulgation and stipulated by Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna H. Laoly on 18 December 2019,” Article 43 of Presidential Regulation reads. (Pusdatin/ES)
Translated by: Fairuzzamani Inayatillah
Reviewed by: Estu Widyamurti
Proofread by: M. Ersan Pamungkas
