IO, Jakarta – President Jokowi stated at his inauguration on 20 October 2019 that simplification of the jungle of official red tape is crucial, if Indonesia intends to establish a dynamic, agile, and professional bureaucracy, one that improves – instead of impeding – the effectiveness and efficiency of Governmental performance. Thus, Minister of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform (Pendayagunaan Aparatur Negara dan Reformasi Birokrasi – “PAN-RB”) Tjahjo Kumolo has issued a circular relating to simplification, i.e. Circulars of the Minister of PAN-RB Numbers 384, 390, and 391 of 2019, concerning Strategic and Concrete Steps for Simplifying Bureaucracy, directed at Ministers of the “Indonesia Onward” Cabinet, Governors, Mayors and Regents throughout Indonesia.
These circulars, signed on 13 November 2019, contain nine strategic steps planned for the program. The first is to identify Echelon III, IV, and V work units, rendering them simplified and with structural positions which can be transferred according to the position of each institution on a map. Second, positions in the affected work units are to be re-mapped. This includes identification of the equality between the vacated structural positions and the functional positions to be held.
Third, the budget for wages related to the positions affected by bureaucratic simplification must be adjusted. Fourth, the heads of institutions must socialize and explain to all of their staff the function and intent of these bureaucratic simplification policies. The results of the identification and mapping of positions must be submitted to the Minister of PAN-RB in softcopy form on the fourth week of December 2019 at the latest. Transforming structural positions into functional ones is to be performed according to the mapping, and completed by the fourth week of June of 2020 at the latest.
Institutional heads are expected to perform the entirety of the process described in the circular professionally and cleanly, free from collusion, corruption, nepotism or any potential conflict of interest. They must implement the principle of prudence in line with good governance of governmental administration. “The procedure for transferring Echelons III, IV, and V structural positions into functional positions is regulated further in the Regulation of the Minister of PAN-RB. There will be specific appointments and adjustments for these functional positions,” stated the Circular.
Structural positions will be simplified into two levels. Tjahjo stated that not all Echelon III, IV, and V structural positions are to be immediately reset into functional positions. The Circular states that structural positions that satisfy three criteria are excepted from bureaucratic simplification: First, the position has the job and function as a Task Force Head, with authority and responsibility for deploying budgets, goods or services. Second, the position has a function related to authority, legalization, validation, documentary approval, or regional authority. Third, other specific criteria and requirements, based on the suggestion of each Ministry or Agency and referred to the Minister of PAN-RB to be considered when reviewing relevant Echelon III, IV, and V positions. (des)