Assign civil servants to relevant jobs: Minister

JP/Suherdjoko

State Administrative Reforms Minister E.E. Mangindaan recently shared his views on his office’s program, with The Jakarta Post’s Kornelius Purba, Frans Surdiasis and Rais Hidayat. The following are excerpts from the conversation.

Question: Why is our bureaucracy not productive?

Answer: The recruitment of our bureaucracy is only for personnel formations, and they have no descriptions of jobs. My office is also no exception. Once I asked an employee here, “what’s your job?” He said he worked in the general affairs bureau. It’s just a unit, not a job. So, the assignment of civil servants to relevant jobs should be a target of reform.

Why should we reform the job system? Unclear job assignments cause bureaucrats to lose their discipline. Without discipline, they have no way of providing optimal services to the public. In this way, their public service will be improved and the economy also promoted.

What do you plan to reform the bureaucracy in 2010?

I’m preparing a clear concept for bureaucratic reforms in the first 100 days. There should be a grand design and roadmap for 2010, 2011, 2012 and so-forth.

There are various problems in the bureaucracy and it’s not easy to introduce changes. The 10 years of reform have not been capable of changing the bureaucratic mindset. We have formulated a standard operational procedure, which has partly been implemented, but I see the need to keep changing the mindset.

Challenges continue to emerge, so the mindset should also keep abreast of current developments. The mindset should thus follow the prevailing challenges and opportunities. That’s why we make a grand design, with the present emphasis on changing the bureaucratic mindset so as to turn the mindset of public service into the bureaucratic culture, or the working ethos, of a disciplined, transparent and productive bureaucracy.

What ministries will be prioritized for the 2010 bureaucratic reforms?

There are nine ministries. Previously, three institutions underwent reforms, with noticeable outcomes.

These were the Finance Ministry, the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) and the Supreme Court.

The reform of the other ministries and state agencies needs the grand design and roadmap. I have continuous consultations with the Home Minister to determine which regions are to be reformed first.

When some regions are ready for reforms, I carry out further evaluations to produce the best of what they need, because regional conditions are different.

What are the bureaucratic problems in regions?

It is again about their mindset. The existing patterns of recruitment and career building don’t work.

Why isn’t there any proper career design? It’s because not all regions have properly managed their organizations or human resources. As regional heads are now elected by local people, I propose that their candidates should have a command of public administration as well as some knowledge of financial management. Without mastering both fields, it’s impossible to build regions under good governance.

Is the rule base for bureaucratic reforms already adequate?

The public administration bill has been submitted to the House of Representatives and we hope its deliberations will be finalized in 2010.

Later, the institutional reform we are undertaking will be further strengthened with the presence of the public administration law.

In the future, hopefully no more regional heads will be implicated by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for having no knowledge of public administration or financial management.

Ideally, some other bills supporting bureaucratic reforms will also be completed, but the most important one for 2010 is the public administration bill. When this public administration law is ready, a government regulation is certainly required, which will also take time.

What does it mean to complete the reform in 2011?

In line with the grand design and roadmap, we are implementing four schemes [comprising] institutional and administrative structuring; business process improvement; human resources management upgrading; and supervisory enhancement. When the four are finished, the bureaucratic reform is successful.

But if we speak of the completion in terms of the change in mindset, it’s hard to ascertain because now our bureaucrats have the mindset of 804, meaning 8 a.m. for the office, 0 for productivity and 4 p.m. for home. This is indeed too extreme, but we have the reality.

Will there be any salary increase?

Salaries no, allowances yes. Salary standards are clear, with a maximum increase of 5 percent a year. We will increase allowances because they trigger competition. Whoever wants to get big allowances has to be capable of competing.

Through competition, productivity will be going up. This will change the mindset of the bureaucracy.

Besides, what I think can change the mindset is the leadership in all ministries and state agencies, which should have a firm attitude, while regional heads should be really well-versed in public administration.