The Importance of Database in Bureaucratic Reform

Background

Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform prepared a Grand Design of Bureaucratic Reformation 2010 – 2025 for Ministry/Institution/Local Government reference in conducting bureaucratic reformation for good governance (2010: 3). Bureaucratic reformation in the Grand Design is understood as (1) a big change in Indonesian government paradigm and governance and (2) a huge bet for Indonesia in facing the challenges of the 21^st century (: 2 – 3). This bureaucratic reform expects to (1) create most-improved bureaucracy nation, (2) improve quality of the service to the people, (3) improve the formulation and implementation of policies, (4) improve the efficiency (costs and time) of the implementation of organizations’ task, and (5) create anticipative, proactive and effective bureaucracy in facing globalization and strategic environmental dynamics (: 3). The Grand Design also presents how based on the Government Institution Performance Report (LAKIP),  in 2009 there are only 24% of government institutions that are accountable.

Problem Statement

This paper tries to investigate the presentation of data in Kabupaten Bantul LAKIPs, specifically on the poverty eradication. It was mentioned above that governmental institutions’ accountability is judged from its LAKIP. Suryanarayana (1996: 2487) highlights how important data base is in any discussion of poverty. In its 2013 LAKIP, the government of Kabupaten Bantul[1] shows that there are 14.27% of poor people. They failed to reach the target of 12% and further they further stated that it’s due to the absence of standardized system and mechanism in the recording and reporting of poverty eradication. Yet, Kabupaten Bantul was one of 11 regencies that got ‘B’[2] for its 2013 LAKIP. However, the 2015[3] Performance Report shows that there are 16.97% of poor people in 2012 based on the BPS 2016 report. This was repeated in its 2016 Performance Report based on BPS 2017 report. Thus, there is inconsistency in data presentation and this is due to the data source used. Data base is highly significant in determining targets thus appropriate formulation and implementation of policies is produced.

Solution

This section will present solution offered by Suryanarana’s paper (1996). He “emphasizes the importance of the data base in any discussion of poverty and identifies the major data gaps for policy studies” (: 1). He suggests to begin “with the primary question of identification of the poor based on a measure of standard of living and a minimum norm till the final stage of policy prescription, an awareness of the data base and the constraints it imposes on interpretations, etc., is quite important” (: 2495). In other words, data base of poverty should consider the pre-set indicators of poverty in order to come up with poverty eradication targets and programs. This means, data base plays the major role for better bureaucratic reform.

Conclusion

Related to the objective of bureaucratic reform in Indonesia, data base is significant in bureaucratic reform to(1)  improve quality of the service to the people, (2) improve the formulation and implementation of policies, and (3) improve the efficiency (costs and time) of the implementation of organizations’ task. Data base plays significant role in program planning and program evaluation.

 

References

Kabupaten Bantul, Pemerintah Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta.(2014, March). LAKIP Kabupaten Bantul Tahun 2013. Retrieved from: https://setda.bantulkab.go.id/documents/20140926115126-lakip-bantul-2013_rev.pdf

Kementerian Pendayagunaan Aparatur Negara dan Reformasi Birokrasi. 2010. Grand Design Reformasi Birokrasi. Retrieved from: http://ptun-jakarta.go.id/wp-content/uploads/file/informasi_cepat_rb/rb_ptun_jakarta/grand_design_rb/PERPRES_NO_81_2010_TTG_GRAND_DESIGN_RB_2010_2025.pdf  

Kementerian Pendayagunaan Aparatur Negara dan Reformasi Birokrasi. 2015. Road Map Reformasi Birokrasi 2015-2019. Retrieved from http://www.dpr.go.id/doksetjen/dokumen/reformasi-birokrasi-Regulasi-PERATURAN-MENTERI-PENDAYAGUNAAN-APARATUR-NEGARA-DAN-REFORMASI-BIROKRASI-REPUBLIK-INDONESIA-NOMOR-11-TAHUN-2015-TENTANG-ROAD-MAP-REFORMASI-BIROKRASI-2015-2019-1461558175.pdf

Pemerintah Kabupaten Bantul, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta. (2016, March). LKj Pemerintah Kabupaten Bantul Tahun 2015. Retrieved from: https://setda.bantulkab.go.id/documents/20160802112250-lkj_bantul2015_revisi.pdf

Pemerintah Kabupaten Bantul, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta. (2017, March). LKj Pemerintah Kabupaten Bantul Tahun 2016. Retrieved from: https://setda.bantulkab.go.id/documents/20170802104654-laporan-kinerja-bantul-tahun-2016.pdf

Suryanarayana, M. H. (1996, September). Poverty Estimates and Indicators: Importance of Data Base. Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 31, No. 35/37, Special Number (Sep., 1996), pp. 487-2490+2492-2493+2495-2497. Retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/4404567.pdf

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[1] The Head of the Region or Bupati was Hj. Sri Surya Widati.

[2] No regency got ‘A’ in 2014 for 2013 LAKIP.

[3] The Head of the Region or Bupati was Drs. H. Suharsono