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uring the 20 months of their tenure, acting Jakarta governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama and non-active governor Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo have made many breakthroughs in their bid to reform Jakarta'€™s bureaucracy, considered by many to be inefficient and rife with corruption.

Almost two years after Ahok posted a YouTube video, in which he revealed alleged markups in the budget proposal of the Public Works Agency, reform has yet to turn the administration into a potential winner of a good governance award. However, hope exists, and the key to success, according to Ahok, is the right human resources who want to work with him for a better Jakarta.

Ahok said recently that he was far from satisfied with what he had achieved so far.

'€œHowever, at least I can recognize who are good civil servants who want the city administration to change for the better,'€ he said.

Ahok, who has been disappointed by many agency heads for their fraudulent actions and lackadaisical behavior, said he firmly believed that there were many good civil servants out there. '€œThe problem is how to spot them,'€ he said. He added that civil servants in Jakarta were smart. '€œOnce they are prepared to sincerely help me, all problems can be handled well and quickly,'€ he said.

He gave as an example Jakarta Education Agency head Lasro Marbun, who was appointed several months ago. '€œHe found hundreds of items in the 2014 city budget that we did not need, so we could save at least Rp 1.2 trillion [US$101.52 million] from that agency alone,'€ he said.

Ahok said the findings showed that there were many good people in the administration who had the same vision to make the administration better.

Lasro previously reported that Rp 700 billion was from double-listed items, while the remaining Rp 500 billion was from markups and inefficient spending.

During his and Jokowi'€™s tenure, many breakthroughs have been made in revamping the bureaucracy. They include conducting open recruitment for positions related to public services to ensure that employees can change the face of the city'€™s services.

They also centralized corruption-prone activities, such as bids, by creating the Jakarta Goods and Services Procurement Unit (ULP), and business permit issuance by forming the One-Door Integrated Service Agency (BPTSP). Both the ULP and agency took over the authority of various agencies so that monitoring became easier.

Ahok has also implemented an electronic budgeting system to create accountable financial dealings in the city administration.

However, the implementation of the plan is far from perfect. Bids, for example, have not run smoothly as many agencies are not ready for the new system.

Ahok said the city administration would conduct another open selection for civil servants who shared the same vision as him. '€œI also plan to give them adequate rewards through a regional working benefits program,'€ he said. With the new program, each employee will be evaluated based on individual achievement.

Employment Agency head I Made Karmayoga said the results of the selection would be used as a database for his agency to seek potential candidates when positions became vacant.

Made said the selection, just as with other changes, had attracted resistance from some employees, especially those who did not pass the test or felt that their positions were endangered. '€œI think all the employees feel unsafe now. They have to work hard to ensure that their positions will not be taken, especially by young civil servants,'€ he said.

Ied Sabilla, a 28-year-old staffer at the Communications, Information and Public Relations Agency, said the change in the procurement system offered would-be young employees the opportunity to rise through the ranks faster. Ied, who has worked for the administration for four years, said giving benefits based on performance was fair.

'€œWhen the system is competitive, our working spirit rises,'€ she said.