Zefanya Johandy, 55, a resident of Medan, North Sumatra, who just moved to South Tangerang, recently used an online application to obtain a new electronic Identification Card (e-ID card).
By
Nikolaus Harbowo / Prayogi Dwi Sulistyo
·5 minutes read
Kompas/Bahana Patria Gupta
Residents show queue numbers to arrange for electronic ID cards at the Siola Public Service Mall, Surabaya, Monday (17/5/2021).
Getting access to digital public services is not as easy as some say. Many people have to go down long and winding roads to access them. They often have to ask for help from officials in the office because the digital systems are not working.
Zefanya Johandy, 55, a resident of Medan, North Sumatra, who just moved to South Tangerang, recently used an online application to obtain a new electronic Identification Card (e-ID card).
The South Tangerang Population and Civil Registration Service (Dukcapil) website did not function as expected when he tried to get a queue number for the card. He had previously obtained a family card from the local sub-district office in his new residential area.
Because he wasn’t able to get the queue number through the online application, Zefa went to the South Tangerang Dukcapil service outlet at the Alam Sutera Living World mall because there was an automatic printing machine (ADM) there. The machine could be used to process an application for the proper documentation and print a new e-ID card.
Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo
Residents look for information on recording Electronic Identity Cards (KTP-el) at the Pondok Aren District Office, South Tangerang, Banten, Monday (15/6/2020).
Arriving at the Living World mall, he found that the South Tangerang Dukcapil service outlet was closed. Apparently, the office in the mall closed every Thursday and Friday and was only open from Saturday to Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“I was so disappointed as I had come from far away. It was just a waste of time. There was no information about this at the subdistrict office," said Zefanya on Thursday (16/9/2021).
Natalia Magdalena, 43, another Jakarta resident, found the ADM machine at the Jakarta Office of Investment and One Stop Integrated Services (DPMPTSP) out of order as well, while trying to reprint a lost ID card.
Wahyu, 33, a resident of Purworejo, Central Java, also had to go through the “back door”, asking his acquaintances at the Purworejo Dukcapil Service to reprint his lost e-ID card.
He said he had submitted an application for a new e-ID card through the Dukcapil office website but failed because he did not upload a photocopy of his missing e-ID card. "I didn\'t have a copy," he said.
Thanks to the help of his friend, Wahyu was able to get a new e-ID card in one day. "However, I had to follow all the procedures, but it was still difficult [because] I did not have a photocopy of my ID," said Wahyu.
Unlike Zefanya, Farid said he had not faced any problems in obtaining a queue number through the online application.
However, not everyone faces difficulties in accessing digital public services. Farid (42), a resident of South Tangerang, said he was satisfied with the digital ID service provided by the South Tangerang city government. Unlike Zefanya, Farid said he had not faced any problems in obtaining a queue number through the online application.
In fact, he said, the process was quite simple. He said he had lost his e-ID card somewhere. "Just register through the South Tangerang Dukcapil office’s website to get a queue number for an appointment at the South Tangerang Dukcapil office at Bintaro Plaza," he said.
Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo
Officers record the retinas of residents who take care of Electronic Identity Cards (KTP-el) at the Pondok Aren District Office, South Tangerang, Banten, Monday (15/6/2020).
After that, Farid just needed to bring the required documents on the date and time he had been assigned. “I registered, had my files checked, and 30 minutes later, my new e-ID card had been reprinted. It\'s quite simple and fast," he said.
In addition to the Living World Alam Sutera and Bintaro Plaza malls, the South Tangerang City government has also opened Dukcapil service outlets at Teraskota BSD, Pamulang Square and Tangsel Public Service Malls.
Residency application
Local governments are also innovating in providing public services through digital applications. The Jakarta provincial administration, for example, has introduced the Betawi Avocado application. The Bekasi city government has an “e-Open” application for population services.
Kompas recently tried e-Open. When the user chooses one of the application features to get residency document services, the user is asked to fill out the application form, choose a location for document collection and provide a date to collect the documents. But apparently, at the location where the document would be issued, the user would have to bring the files uploaded on the application. After the file had been checked by the officer, the residence document would be issued in 5 to 10 minutes.
Digitization has also been able to reduce the illegal levies residents have to pay when processing an official document.
The Home Ministry’s Dukcapil Director General, Zudan Arif Fakrulloh, said the time needed to process a residency document had been significantly reduced with the use of digital technology. The document could now be processed in just 30 minutes, as compared to 14 days in the past, he said. Digitization has also been able to reduce the illegal levies residents have to pay when processing an official document.
Regarding the ADM machines, which did not function well, Zudan said that such technical problems should be overcome quickly. "Officers just need to contact the repair center. [The machines] will be checked later to find the problems. These Dukcapil offices did not report the problems. In fact, we have a monitoring team," said Zudan.
A professor of state administration at the University of Hasanuddin in Makassar, Sangkala, noted that if the government was serious about switching to a digital system, it should use an application that enabled a one-touch service. If needed, the documents could be delivered directly to the applicant\'s house. "If residents still have to come to the location of public services, there is still face-to-face contact, and they are still prone to [being made to make] illegal payments," said Sangkala. (MADINA NUSRAT)
(This article was translated byHendarsyah Tarmizi)
