1 - When the Burden is Shouldered Alone: Experiences in Autonomy at Regencies and Municipalities

Summary

INTRODUCTION

In the period of 2001–03, many independent steps were taken in regencies and cities to put decentralization into effect, including those which represent initiatives of regency or city governments, the Regional Representative Council (DPRD) and the various communities. The three quotations noted in the following boxes are a small sample to give a picture of such governmental initiatives. They were derived from the Indonesia Rapid Decentralization Appraisal (IRDA) which had been carried out every six months in order to monitor decentralization. Up to the Third IRDA, monitoring activities was carried out in thirty-one regencies and nine cities in twenty-seven provinces.1 The question that formed the focus of attention for IRDA research in each round of investigation was: How do regencies and cities carry on government in the setting of decentralization and manage the resources that they possess? However, there were many debates regarding decentralization, so that attention was adjusted to the needs of the stakeholders at a given time, in particular in order to meet the needs of debate on a certain policy that had to be formulated as quickly as possible so that urgent action could be taken.

Box 1.1: From the First IRDA Report, April 2002

A Provincial Regulation concerning the quality of service to the public was ratified in the city of Pontianak in April 2001. On the basis of considerations of regional potential, community needs and work efficiency, the local government adopted as standard 5.6 hours (out of 8 hours’ work per day) as the minimum length of time which must be made available for providing service to the public. The remaining time is to be used for administrative business. Government units that fail to meet this standard will be evaluated and will be given a warning, with the possibility of being amalgamated with another unit.

Box 1.2: From the Second IRDA Report, November 2002

The Regency of Malang is endeavoring to gain Certificate ISO 9001 for Standard of Service Quality. The office of the regional secretariat is the first to be tested for applying this standard of quality of service (…). The result of this assessment will be made a basis for compiling a plan for training and implementation in the context of meeting this standard.