Tug of War on ASN Commission

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

Civil servants attend a ceremony for the commemoration of the 47th anniversary of the Indonesian Civil Servants Corp (Korpri) at Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Thursday (29/11/2018). President Joko Widodo was present and acted as the inspector of the ceremony.

Political chaos may occur following the proposal to revise the State Civil Apparatus (ASN) Law, specifically the chapter on the dissolution of the State Civilian Bureaucracy Commission (KASN).

KASN was formed under Law No.5/2014 concerning ASN (ASN Law) issued during President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s tenure. Apart from covering ASN issues, the ASN Law, regulates KASN, the State Administration Agency (LAN), and the National Civil Service Agency (BKN). KASN is tasked with, among other things, to supervise the appointment of officials within the bureaucracy based on the merit system.

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It has become part of political practice that the bureaucracy -- whether it was still the Korpri (Association of Indonesian Civil Servants (KORPRI) or ASN , be considered a political force. ASN, with its large number of members, is always considered to have an appeal to increase electoral votes. In practice, there is politics of reciprocation and politics of revenge. The politics of reciprocity arises in the process of giving certain positions to people who have made contributions in winning political battles. Cynically, it is often called NKK (narik kanca-kanca) or gathering friends. On the other hand, there is politics of revenge, where those who hinder or oppose are replaced or removed.

The chairman of KASN Agus Pramusinto said there had been indication of buying and selling positions within the bureaucracy worth about Rp 160 trillion.

Such suspicion has raised tensions between ASN commissioners and political parties outside the government’s supporters during the deliberation on the revision of the ASN Law. Former KASN chairman Sofian Effendi said the idea of dissolving KASN was backlash from those who were aggrieved by the existence of KASN. The chairman of KASN Agus Pramusinto said there had been indication of buying and selling positions within the bureaucracy worth about Rp 160 trillion. The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) also opposed the revision of the ASN Law.

Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo

Para guru honorer Kabupaten Bekasi, Jawa Barat, melakukan aksi damai di Gedung Komisi Honorary teachers of Bekasi Regency, West Java, held a peaceful demonstration at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Building, Kuningan, Jakarta, Monday (11/1/2021). They asked the KPK to investigate the sale and purchase of positions and a school toilet project worth Rp 96.8 billion in Bekasi Regency, West Java.

On the other hand, those who initiated the proposal to revise the ASN Law and the dissolution of KASN argued that KASN had added a new bureaucracy. It is also a fact that a number of KASN recommendations are blunt (useless) because they are not followed up. The enthusiasm of KASN to play a role in placing high positions in the bureaucracy based on the merit system has not received much response from the community.

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State auxiliary bodies are formed in the spirit of democratic transition. The goal is to watch each other. Even though in reality, the extreme practice of supervising each other can instead paralyze the bureaucracy.

Public debate must be carried out widely so that the process of revising the ASN Law has social legitimacy, not only political justification, let alone power politics.

From these two different points of view, a dialogue with a sincere heart — not with suspicion — must be further encouraged. Public debate must be carried out widely so that the process of revising the ASN Law has social legitimacy, not only political justification, let alone power politics. The ASN reform must

have a long horizon, not just limited to terms of power. In a pandemic situation like now, the revision of the ASN Law needs to be questioned in terms of its urgency. The academic study behind the idea of revising the ASN Law also needs to be widely debated.

(This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi)