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Jokowi tests local leader candidates
Keep your eyes peeled: Hundreds of civil servants from the Jakarta administration, who have passed the managerial leadership test in an open call for subdistrict and district leader positions, attend a public hearing at City Hall on Tuesday
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Keep your eyes peeled: Hundreds of civil servants from the Jakarta administration, who have passed the managerial leadership test in an open call for subdistrict and district leader positions, attend a public hearing at City Hall on Tuesday. (JP/P.J. Leo) (JP/P.J. Leo)
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span class="inline inline-none">Keep your eyes peeled: Hundreds of civil servants from the Jakarta administration, who have passed the managerial leadership test in an open call for subdistrict and district leader positions, attend a public hearing at City Hall on Tuesday. (JP/P.J. Leo)
Civil servants who passed a series of open-call tests for subdistrict and district leader positions underwent on Tuesday the final phase of their selection; a grilling by Governor Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo.
In a two-hour public forum at City Hall, in which councilors and representatives of community groups were also present, a select few out of hundreds of civil servants had to answer questions from both the governor and the floor.
Among the top-scorers presented by acting city secretary Wiriyatmoko were incumbent Tambora district chief Isnawa Aji and Lola Lovita, head of community health centers (puskesmas) in Grogol-Petamburan.
'How do you measure the level of public satisfaction in public services at the district level? What parameters do you use to measure it?' Jokowi asked Isnawa.
'I acknowledge that public services at the district level are still far from satisfactory for most residents, particularly regarding permit issuance and so on. Among the problems are that the city administration does not have particular parameters and some sectors like building permit issuance are managed by related agency units at the district level so the district chief doesn't have full authority,' Isnawa said.
'I propose that the district leader be given full authority over such issues,' he added.
Isnawa continued by saying that he had used a social-media approach to accommodate residents' aspirations. 'I use a website, Twitter account and text messages to communicate with residents,' he said.
Isnawa pointed out the challenges that he faced in leading the district.
'Of all urban issues, Tambora has them all: flooding, fire [...] even terrorism. I have to be creative in reaching out to residents. I once held a fun bike event and they seemed to really like it; they told me to do it again,' Isnawa said. Jokowi seemed pleased by the answers. 'You deserve to be a mayor. Unfortunately, there's no vacant mayoral position at the moment,' the Governor said to the cheering forum.
Jokowi proceeded to question Lola Lovita, who is also a physician, asking the reason she took the test.
'To be honest, I want to climb the career ladder. Second, I want to boost the effectiveness of the district office by applying what has been proven to be effective in my office. My puskesmas has received ISO certification and I want the district office obtain it too,' she said.
Jokowi later asked the forum, 'Have we had a doctor district leader before?'
'No, we haven't,' answered the forum.
'Maybe we will now,' Jokowi said.
Ida Mahmudah, the council's chairperson for Commission A overseeing administrative affairs, expressed support for the open selection process.
'I hope this way we can improve public services. I also call on successful candidates to do their best once they are selected,' she said.
Of 1,156 civil servants ' including 254 incumbent district and subdistrict leaders ' aspiring to become local leaders in 44 districts and 267 subdistricts in the capital, nearly 500 failed the selection process.
The names of selected local leaders are expected to be announced this week.
