Gov’t Seeks to Complete Structural Job Transfer this Year

Coordination meeting on bureaucratic streamlining in Jakarta, Thursday (16/01). Photo by: PR of Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reforms.

In a bid to streamline bureaucracy in central and regional governments, Ministry of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reforms has accelerated mapping of structural positions that will be transferred to functional positions.  The transfer of positions is set to be completed this year.

Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reforms Tjahjo Kumolo explained that streamlining bureaucracy aims to improve the effectiveness of government and accelerate decision making process. “(The streamlining) aims to create a more dynamic, agile, and professional bureaucracy in order to increase effectiveness and efficiency in supporting public services,” Tjahjo said during a coordination meeting on bureaucratic streamlining in Jakarta, Thursday (16/01).

On that occasion, the Minister said that acceleration of bureaucratic streamlining would be conducted in five stages. “The first stage is identification of administrative positions in every working unit. The second stage is mapping of positions and administrative officials affected by bureaucratic streamlining. The third stage is mapping of functional positions that can be occupied by officials affected by the streamlining of bureaucracy,” he said.

The fourth stage, he added, is adjustment of functional position allowances with administrative position allowances, and the fifth stage is adjustment of administrative office grades to those of functional positions.

Tjahjo went on to say that although the streamlining of bureaucracy is carried out in all levels of Government, there are several positions that could not be transferred, including those who had duties and functions as head of working unit with the authority to use the budget or users of goods/services.

Other positions that cannot be transferred, according to the Minister, are those who have duties and functions relating to authority, legalization, approval, document approval, or regional authority, and other positions based on the proposals of each ministry/institution to the Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reforms,” Tjahjo added.

In the meantime, Secretary of Ministry of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reforms Dwi Wahyu Atmaji explained that the Ministry had transferred 141 echelon III and IV positions to functional positions and only 1 echelon III position and 2 echelon IV positions left.

Streamlining structural positions is one of President Joko Widodo’s priorities. With a simple structure, Atmaji added, investment licensing will be faster and economic growth will be increased.” The next challenge is to ensure that this transformation is in line with the President directive,” Atmaji said.

Deputy of Human Resources at Ministry of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reforms, Setiawan Wangsaatmaja, explained that the policy formulation, mapping of positions in government agencies, and implementation of functional appointments are set to be completed in June 2020. Then, during mid-2020 to December 2020 there would be functional appointments at ministries/institutions, and mapping and appointment of functional officials in the regions. “After 2020, monitoring will be carried out,” Setiawan said.

The follow-up stage is simplification of organization and new work patterns as well as mapping of positions and career patterns. In addition, the transfer of position is also accompanied by competency development and performance management.

The bureaucratic structure in government agencies influences the Global Competitiveness Index, which places Indonesia in position 50, one of the indicators of the index is the human capital and innovation ecosystem.

In terms of human capital, Indonesia is competing with Vietnam and Thailand. “If our bureaucracy is not streamlined, we can be outperformed by Vietnam,” Setiawan said.

Also present during the meeting were, among others, Head of the National Civil-Service Agency (BKN) Bima Haria Wibisana and Chairperson of the Independent Team of National Bureaucratic Reforms Eko Prasodjo. (PR of Ministry of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reforms /EN)

Translated by: Ridwan Ibadurrohman
Reviewed by: Yuyu Mulyani