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Calls mount for more meaningful public participation in policymaking
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Experts say increasing social media access in the country, which allows information and news to circulate faster, puts pressure on the government to respond quickly to issues that go viral. (Pexel/Tracy Le Blanc)
T
he government is facing mounting pressure to engage more deeply with the public and experts in policymaking amid criticism that it only considers public input when issues go viral on social media.
Earlier this week, the Customs and Excise Directorate General delivered a set of braille keyboards to special needs students in Jakarta after news spread on social media that the items had been held at customs since 2022.
Authorities claimed there was a miscommunication regarding the status of the keyboards, which were reportedly donations and hence should have been exempt from excise duty and tax. The case, along with other viral instances involving the office, prompted Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati to step in and demand that the directorate general provide better services.
The Trade Ministry also recently backtracked on a policy issued in March that restricted the number goods travelers could enter the country with, following widespread criticism online.
Under the abortive rule, people entering the country could bring maximum of two electronic devices, two pairs of shoes and five garments.
Critics say instances such as these amount to a trend – that the government only heeds public opinion on policy questions when there is a social media uproar.
What’s behind viral policy revision?
