Building a president’s vision for bureaucratic reform holds significant urgency in the context of national development. Bureaucratic reform aims to improve efficiency, transparency, accountability, and public services. It is not only about organizational restructuring but also about fostering cultural and mindset changes within the bureaucracy. With a strong vision, the government can enhance bureaucratic performance and deliver tangible benefits to society.

In response to this urgency, the Faculty of Administrative Sciences at Universitas Indonesia (FIA UI) hosted a “Book Review and Public Discussion: Building the President’s Vision for Bureaucratic Reform” on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, at the EDISI 2020 Auditorium, FIA UI Building, Depok.

“Achieving economic growth is impossible if our bureaucracy remains convoluted and inefficient. Efforts to improve healthcare and education services will also be hindered by an underqualified bureaucratic workforce. In the context of public administration transformation, two critical areas are public policy and public governance. Recognizing their importance, we at FIA UI launched the Master’s Program in Public Policy and Governance (MKPG) in 2023 to help develop human resources, particularly in these fields,” said FIA UI Dean Prof. Dr. Chandra Wijaya, M.Si., M.M.

The book review and public discussion aimed to provide insights into the presidential candidates’ visions, missions, and strategies regarding bureaucratic reform. The event was also intended to inform and empower voters ahead of the upcoming election, which is just 35 days away.

Prof. Dr. Eko Prasojo, Mag.rer.publ., a professor at FIA UI and moderator of the discussion, outlined four key segments closely related to Indonesia’s bureaucratic reform. These segments included Millennial Civil Servants and Cultural Change, Bureaucratic Collaboration: Redefining Horizontal and Vertical Relations, Digital Transformation of Bureaucracy, and Corruption: Strengthening Internal Oversight.

“91% of millennials want rapid career advancement. The top three reasons they change jobs are higher salaries (25%), more fulfilling work (25%), and better career development opportunities (20%). Additionally, 59% of millennials prioritize personality and cultural fit in their workplace. With millennials dominating the civil service, there is a pressing need to transform the bureaucratic culture to be more flexible, prioritize work-life balance, and foster network-based relationships. Initiatives like flexible working arrangements and the squad model are early steps toward this cultural shift,” said Prof. Eko during the segment on millennial civil servants.

Regarding bureaucratic collaboration, which involves restructuring horizontal relations between ministries and agencies and vertical relations between the central and regional governments, Prof. Eko highlighted data from the 2022 National Priority Performance Indicators. Of the 77 indicators, 23 were achieved, 37 were not, and 17 lacked measurable outcomes. “The failure to meet 33 national program indicators and the undefined status of 17 others reflects weak coordination across government institutions. Bureaucratic reform is crucial to address these gaps,” he stated.

In the digital transformation segment, Prof. Eko noted that while the government has implemented various digital policies, these efforts have not yet resulted in optimal digital governance and services. Key issues include data integration, system interoperability, digital literacy, internet infrastructure, and cybersecurity.

Discussing corruption within the bureaucracy, Prof. Eko pointed out the systemic issues stemming from the high cost of political campaigns and the resulting need to recover these expenses through governance, development, and public services. He argued that such practices have reduced Indonesian democracy to a procedural form rather than a result-oriented democracy. Data indicates a decline in the integrity of public officials across various governmental bodies and policy sectors.

The discussion’s four segments were comprehensively addressed by a panel of experts, including BRIN researcher Prof. Siti Zuhro, Professor of Social and Political Sciences at UNSOED Prof. Dwiyanto Indiahono, Professor at IPDN from the Ministry of Home Affairs Prof. Djohermansyah Djohan, Deputy Chair of the National Expert Team Dr. Amin Subekti, Expert Team Member of the National Winning Team (TKN) Mulya Amri, Ph.D., and Expert Team Member of the National Campaign Team (TPN) Dr. Piter Abdullah, S.E., M.A.

Prof. Agus Pramusinto, Chair of the Indonesian Association for Public Administration (IAPA), emphasized the critical role of the bureaucracy as the “engine and heart” of governance. “When discussing digital transformation, we often focus solely on technology and overlook the importance of a service-oriented mindset. Bureaucratic reform must start from the central government, as regional governments often merely follow their lead,” he remarked.

The event was organized through a collaboration between FIA UI, the Indonesian Association for Public Administration (IAPA), the Asian Group for Public Administration (AGPA), the Policy, Governance, and Administrative Science Research Cluster (PGAR), and Prenada Publisher.

As part of the event, Prof. Dr. Eko Prasojo, Mag.rer.publ., also launched and reviewed his book titled Contemporary Issues in Public Policy and Governance in Indonesia, published by Prenada Media. The book explores the political-bureaucratic relationship in Indonesia, the country’s fundamental bureaucratic challenges, previous reform efforts and their outcomes, as well as future reform agendas. As both an academic and practitioner with extensive experience in bureaucratic reform, Prof. Eko brings valuable insights into these critical issues.