Cultural-Value-Based Bureaucratic Reform in North Halmahera Regency
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International Journal of Administrative Science & Organization, May 2014 Volume 21, Number 2 Bisnis & Birokrasi, Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi Cultural-Value-Based Bureaucratic Reform in North Halmahera Regency A. GAU KADIR Department of Political and Government Study, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Hasanuddin, Makassar, Indonesia [email protected] Abstract. Researches on bureaucratic reform based on cultural value (cultural approach) are rarely found. In fact, the combining use of structural and cultural approaches in government bureaucratic reform can be expected to encourage the achievement of bureaucratic reform objectives. This study chose the location in North Halmahera Regency, where the community still uphold the cultural values as represented in its cultural symbol of “Hibua Lamo.” The research uses a qualitative method and the technique of content analysis. “Hibua Lamo” gives birth to various cultural values and social norms that are formally enacted, putting “Hibua Lamo” into a pattern of organization in society and government. The Regent of North Halmahera implemented a bureaucratic reform in his local governance based on the considerations of balance between “institutional power” according to legislation and social norms institutionalized in “Hibua Lamo”. The combined consideration of balance between the legislation and the institutionalized social norms made the Regent of North Halmahera capable to implement the policies of bureaucratic reform in North Halmahera, thereby building an efficient, effective and well-performed bureaucracy as well as reducing poverty from 57.16% to 9.97%, increasing annual per capita income of about 30%, and encouraging economic growth in North Halmahera Regency approximately 6.04%. Keywords: bureaucratic reform, cultural values, social norms, hibua lamo Abstrak. Penelitian tentang reformasi birokrasi berbasis pada nilai-nilai budaya (pendekatan budaya) masih jarang ditemukan. Padahal, perpaduan pendekatan struktural dan budaya dalam reformasi birokrasi pemerintahan bisa diharapkan mendorong pencapaian tujuan reformasi birokrasi. Penelitian ini memilih lokasi di Kabupaten Halmahera Utara, dimana masyarakatnya masih sangat menjunjung tinggi nilai-nilai budaya yang tersimpul dalam simbol budaya “Hibua Lamo”, dengan menggunakan metode kualitatif dan teknik analisis isi. Dalam “Hibua Lamo” lahir berbagai nilai-nilai budaya dan norma-norma sosial yang secara formal diberlakukan, menempatkan “Hibua Lamo” menjadi pola pengaturan dalam kehidupan masyarakat dan pemerintahan. Bupati Kabupaten Halmahera Utara dalam penyelenggaraan reformasi birokrasi pemerintahan daerahnya berdasarkan pertimbangan keseimbangan “kekuasaan kelembagaan” menurut peraturan perundang-undangan dengan norma-norma sosial yang melembaga pada “Hibua Lamo”. Perpaduan pertimbangan keseimbangan antara peraturan perundang-undangan dengan norma-norma sosial yang telah melembaga menjadikan Bupati Halmahera Utara mampu mengimplementasikan berbagai kebijakan reformasi birokrasi Kabupaten Halmahera Utara sehingga terbangun birokrasi yang efisien, efektif dan berkinerja serta mampu menurunkan penduduk miskin dari 57,16% menjadi 9,97%, meningkatkan pendapatan perkapita pertahun masyarakat sekitar 30%, serta mendorong pertumbuhan ekonomi Kabupaten Halmahera Utara sekitar 6,04%. Kata kunci: reformasi birokrasi, nilai-nilai budaya, norma-norma sosial, hibua lamo INTRODUCTION providing excellent public services. To achieve these objectives, the government has formulated various Reform is born when anomalies occur, where various policies set out in the form of legislations, among others, theories are no longer able to solve the problems arising the Regulation of the State Minister for Administrative in the life of society, nation and state. This is caused Reform No. 15/M.PAN/7/2008 on the General Guidelines by a change in the paradigm of thinking, due to speed for Bureaucratic Reforms; the Presidential Decree No. 81 the science and technological development that are no of 2010 concerning the Grand Design of Bureaucratic longer significant with the realities of life. The getting Reform; the Regulation of the State Minister for global reality of life and the rapid demands of democracy, Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform No. 20 of 2010 decentralization, human rights encourage a reform on the Road Map of Bureaucratic Reform; and various capable to put an end to authoritarian rule in Indonesia. other legal products. In politics and government, particularly in the aspect of Based on the legislation, then various bureaucratic governmental organization (bureaucracy) also revolved reform strategy were drafted, starting from organizational, a “bureaucratic reform,” aiming at building an efficient, managerial to human resources restructuring. It turns effective, accountable and well-performed bureaucracy, out, however, the achievements of bureaucratic reform 98 International Journal of Administrative Science & Organization, May 2014 Volume 21, Number 2 Bisnis & Birokrasi, Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi objectives still has not met the expectations. The RESEARCH METHODS performance of public service bureaucracy still triggers complaints in society. Hence a radical change to fix it is This research uses qualitative methods through required. literature and documents study, observation, in-depth Therefore we need a change through a bureaucratic interviews, and focus group discussions. The data analysis reform that is significant to public demands, as pointed out technique used is content analysis both on secondary and by Muslim and Hariyati (2012), stating that “Reform is a primary data. The location selected for the research is renewal process undertaken in a gradual and sustainable North Halmahera, an area whose people still uphold their manner, so that it does not include any effort and/or cultural values, reflected in a cultural symbol of “Hibua action that is radical and revolutionary”. However, the Lamo”. reform is not only planned rationally, mechanistically and The key informants in this study consisted of the normatively procedural, but it is also based on cultural Regent, Deputy Regent and Secretary of North Halmahera values whose existence is diverse and supported by basic Regency, the Head and Secretary of the Regional House norms (Pancasila values) in the life of society, nation and of Representatives (DPRD) of North Halmahera, the state. Heads of Parliament of North Halmahera, religious The bureaucratic reform based on cultural values is leaders, traditional chiefs and community organizations, important since according to Lucian Pye in Alfian (1991), the Heads of Governmental Division, the Heads of in his research on Burma, cultural elements are the most Department, Agency and Office, the Head of the Regency important and primary variable in understanding the Court of North Halmahera, the Heads of State Prosecutor political developments in Burma. His basic conclusion is of North Halmahera and the Head of North Halmahera that attitudes and values play a role in the development of Regency Police Force. an advanced political system in Burma. Similarly, Fred W. Riggs (1994) developed a typology of bureaucracy based RESULT AND DISCUSSION on the level of social development, in which elements of the local culture is crucial. The bureaucratic reform in North Halmahera was In addition, according to Kiggundu (2002), “... the initialized by determining the values dimension as application of the Weberian principles is in conflict with the basis of people’s consensus to bureaucracy and to the prevailing norms of behavior both within, the targeted authorial organizers of the local government to conduct organization and wider society, bureaucracy will not lead transformation of cultural values preserved in the to the expected benefit”. The existence of a complex community. The transformation of cultural values as the society with a constantly evolving social-cultural system organizational basis of bureaucratic reform is the values of should be taken into consideration in the reform process. the various dimensions, i.e. cultural and social dimension, Therefore, the bureaucratic reform, tending to base on Pancasila and the ideals embodied in the cultural symbol the consideration of structural approach, needs to be of “Hibua Lamo”. complemented by considerations based on approach to For the community of North Halmahera, Hibua Lamo culture or cultural values. is seen as a medium used to discuss issues related to the The combination of both approaches can be understood common interests of the community, nation, and state. in the implementation of bureaucratic reform in North From “Hibua Lamo”, various social consensus, social Halmahera Regency, selected for the research location. norms in governance, development and public service The Regent of North Halmahera implemented his are born. The social norms formally and institutionally bureaucratic reform policy based on the consideration of imposed in the community put “Hibua Lamo” into balance between institutional “power” according to the an organizing pattern in public life and government. formal legislation and social norms institutionalized in Logically then it is from “Hibua Lamo” that the consensus “Hibua Lamo” as a preserved cultural institution whose in governance, development and public service come. values are still enacted. This approach is significantly The consensus of the people (community) through a relevant with the demands implied by the Law