Reform of the Indonesian Civil Service: Looking for Quality

In Indonesia, as in many developing countries, allowances and in-kind benefits play a substantial role in remunerating public sector employees, which is why determining the right balance between pay and benefits, and allowance is very important. Important aspects toward restoring trust in government among others are the role of leadership in building the credibility of reforms implemented after 1988 in Indonesia. Since the Reformation Era, the objectives are improving democratic and local governance, moving governance closer to the people, and strengthening transparency and accountability of the government, and the role of bureaucracy. With respect to civil services, it is very important to develop a modern and efficient government system. In Indonesia, civil service reform is needed to sustain the important institutional reform result achieved over the last 20 years in various sectors and policy areas and to further consolidate Indonesia as a progressing to become middle income country. However, in all reforms activities, the role of leadership will be key in building the credibility of new reforms, providing the populace with an overall vision of a future, in which government earns and fully merits citizen confidence, and helping to commit different socio-economic actors and resources to this long-term goal.