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Ensuring the neutrality of public servants
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Communications and Information Minister Budi Arie Setiadi (third from the left) along with the Director General of Aptika Semuel A. Pangerapan (right), member of the Elections Supervisory Board (Bawaslu) Prevention, Community Participation and Public Relations Division Lolly Suhenty (left) and Deputy Director of the National Police’s Cybercrime Investigation Agency Comm. Dani Kustoni speak to the press at the launch of the 2024 Election Supervision Desk at the Communications and Information Ministry in Jakarta on Tuesday. The ministry, in collaboration with Bawaslu and the National Police, launched the election desk and pocket guide to ensure a neutral and orderly process for the 2024 elections for public servants. (Antara Foto/Muhammad Adimaja/aww)
C
ivil servants are citizens who also have political rights, especially when determining their choices during general elections. However, in their daily activities and public service functions, civil servants are required to maintain neutrality and stay away from anything that may appear biased toward any presidential and vice presidential candidates, political parties or legislative candidates.
The principle of neutrality is stipulated in Law No. 20/2023 on the civil service, stating the obligation to maintain neutrality. Neutrality means not favoring any influence and not supporting interests other than those of the nation and the state, including political interests. While civil servants retain the right to vote, it is restricted to the polling booth and not in the media or other channels.
In relation to neutrality, the Communications and Information Ministry continues to support efforts by the Civil Service Commission (KASN) to monitor the behavior of public servants, especially in the digital space during the simultaneous elections in 2024, scheduled for Feb. 14.
To ensure the enforcement of neutrality, both in physical and digital spaces, the ministry and the KASN have agreed to supervise internet content regarding the neutrality of employees during the 2024 elections. Deputy Minister Nezar Patria mentioned this during the Social and Political Sciences Conference 2024 titled "Safeguarding Democracy: Multifaceted Responses to Election Disinformation" in Jakarta.
He stated that the ministry and the KASN have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on internet content supervision related to the neutrality of civil service employees during the 2024 elections. This collaboration aims to create a professional, integrity-driven and neutral civil service during the 2024 elections.
As a follow-up to this collaboration, the ministry is intensifying campaigns to uphold the commitment of impartiality among civil servants, as outlined in Law No. 20/2023. The MoU is valid until the conclusion of the 2024 elections and includes the exchange of data and information related to internet content suspected of violating the neutrality of civil service employees.
The agreement's scope will be implemented comprehensively, including digital-literacy programs as preventive measures and addressing allegations of violations of civil servants’ neutrality. The goal is to ensure and safeguard the neutrality of state employees within the communications ministry during the 2024 elections.
The ministry will take strict actions if any of its employees violate neutrality, aligning with the government's policy to preserve the neutrality of the civil service, Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police. Any issues or actions violating the call to maintain neutrality will be processed according to applicable regulations.
This article was published in collaboration with Ministry of Communications and Informatics
