Heading to the IDF 2018: Innovation in Regional Administration Governance

Crafters are finishing pattern-making phase in batik cloth at Klampar village, Proppo, Pamekasan, East Java, Saturday (8/6). Some batik crafters in the area begin making different patterns from existing batik’s to improve public purchasing power. ANTARA FOTO/Saiful Bahri/mes/13.

To overcome problems at local level, leaders and local figures require capacity and authority to identify their own matters and develop proper solution in accordance with respective context. Decentralized spirit drives central government to have disbursed regional transfer funding in line with the potential and necessity of each region.

In fact, the transferred funding can’t always be utilized by regions effectively or innovatively in solving existing development issues. Some problems could have been solved at local level, but since they aren’t well-managed, they become national problems.

Geographical, cultural and social diversity are the things that make Indonesia is different to other countries. Yet on the other side, the diversity also means every region faces quite specific challenges. This definitely requires suitable approach towards local condition and requirement.

As such, both central government and local administrations require inputs related to innovations that can strengthen local leadership and governance. Regional administration that has capacity in managing budget and policy transparently and accountably becomes basic asset to equalize development in all regions.

A lot of inputs are sent to Indonesia Development Forum 2018 regarding innovation in regional administration governance. One of the thoughts emerging from Communication Specialist of Kota Kita Foundation, Paulista Surjadi, with his paper titled “Urban Data Banjarmasin: Improving evidence-based planning and development through technology, design and collaboration”.

His paper explains a lot of regional data that is difficult to be accessed and translated. This condition of course hampers development process and administration governance refinement. Proper data will assist government officials and public working together to determine prioritized development program agenda as what occurs in Banjarmasin city.

Since 2017, the Administration of Banjarmasin and Kota Kita has built Datakota.id/banjarmasin digital platform capable of diagnosing problems and needs of the city. This platform doesn’t only contain data in a form of numbers, but also geospatial information, like interactive map describing environment in Banjarmasin. Users can directly print available information in the platform.

Innovations, such as information system, is also said by lecturer of Administration Study of the Surabaya State University, Deby Febriyan Eprilianto, through “Innovation in Public Sector in Digital Era (Study: Village Information System Implementation at Dlingo village, Dlingo district, Bantul regency)”. Village information system that has been carried out since 2006 at Dlingo village has improved the village data management, public service and public information.

Sistem Informasi Desa atau SID or Village Information System at the Dlingo village pioneers the system development and application in all villages across Bantul regency despite some main obstacles in the system implementation that must be paid attention by local administrations should they wish to use the system. Local administration needs to improve human resources capacity so as they can manage and utilize the system.

Other idea comes from Ph.D candidate from James Cook University, Dwi Amalia Sari, with her paper “Forest Landscape auditing: a proposed new mechanism for enhancing the performance of local governance”. Dwi, who is also the official of the Audit Board of the Republic of Indonesia, proposes a forest landscape audit mechanism to boost performances of regional administrations.

In Indonesia, according to Dwi, the absence of audit method that’s in line with local’s system result in non-ending conflicts among the government, private sector, NGO and locals. This problem can actually be solved by applying forest landscape audit method as Dwi does in Kampar Peninsula, a forest landscape stretching in Pelalawan regency, Riau. Forest-related matters in Kampar Peninsula can be resolved thanks to the forest landscape audit method.

The mentioned solutions will be discussed in Indonesia Development Forum 2018. The forum that is initiated by the National Development and Planning Agency and the Australian Government through Knowledge Sector Initiative is an effective forum in which innovative samples will be presented to realize a good regional governance administration.

The peak of the IDF 2018 will take place in 10-11 July 2018. The highlighted theme is “Pathways to Tackle Regional Disparities across the Archipelago”. IDF 2018 pushes accelerated development in Indonesia to be more equal and more sustainable based on knowledge, experience and fact. The outcome of the forum will be used to formulate Medium Term Development Plan 2020-2024.

Other beneficial materials around innovation theme in regional administration governance are the paper from Mochammad Fadjar Wibowo, coordinator of the Center for Indonesia’s Strategic Development Initiative, titled “Partnership Pattern: the Usage of Web-based Marketplace for Sustainable Development Governance Social Accountability in Regions”; lecturer of Public Administration Study of the Tidar University, Arif Budy Pratama, who writes “The Promise of Behavioural Insights to Tackle Development Issues and shaping public policies in Indonesia”; and senior researcher of Papua University, Marlon Arthur Huwae, who writes “Redefining Tourism Governance in Raja Ampat: Sustainable Development Plus, Governance Index and Open Access Android Based App”.

Other materials worthy of attention are from the economy lecturer of the State Islamic University of Sunan Ampel of Surabaya, Achmad Room Fitrianto, who writes “Community-Based Tourism Development in Ujungpangkah Sub district as Gresik Government Effort in Enhancing the Rural Areas Potencies”; researcher of the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies, Ward Barenschot, who writes “The Political Economy of Clientelism: Regional Disparities and Local Politics Across Indonesia”; staff of the State Secretary Ministry, who also becomes the doctoral candidate from the University of Canberra, Adyawardaman, who composes  “Seeking Network Governance in a Decentralised Indonesia: The Case of Public Sector Innovation in Batang Regency”; and the auditor of the Industry Ministry, Alexander Hamonangan Nainggolan, who presents “What makes innovation in the public sector so challenging?”.**