The country needs a shift in cultural perspectives and improved infrastructure if it wants to successfully implement e-government (e-Gov), said director of e-Gov at the ministry Djoko Agung Harijadi on Wednesday.
"There are resistances ... against e-Gov," he said.
"This is mainly due to lack of awareness and recognition on needs of the system."
Djoko said the republic should also be more willing to share information and data "to improve public services tremendously".
"Usage of the internet and computers is still low.
"Moreover, there is a digital divide between the western and eastern parts of the country.
"Better communication between central government and regional administrations should also be improved before e-Gov could be implemented," Djoko said.
The application of e-Gov would simplify procedures and shorten bureaucratic queuing lines, the ministry said.
The features of e-Gov would include employment opportunity information, archives, authorizations, information on education and e-procurement.
University of Indonesia's public administration expert Eko Prasojo said in order to achieve bureaucratic reform goals, the government should focus no more than 20 percent of its energies on improving information technology services.
Major efforts should be aimed at bureaucratic issues because the government was still not good at serving the public, Eko said.
Technology observer and former Indonesia Consumers Foundation member Agus Pambagyo said the new e-system would not guarantee greater transparency in the public service sector.
"However savvy the technology, there will always be gaps for state officials to be corrupt."
Sragen in Central Java is the first regency in the country to introduce one-stop licensing services through an online system connecting all 20 of its district offices.
The process time for obtaining various licenses, from construction to trading, has been reduced from months to weeks, Sragen administration said.
The regency aims to expand the system to 208 subdistricts and villages by the end of this year.
Ruwiyatmo, a senior official with the regency administration, said they were committed to public service.
"The answer is cutting back on bureaucratic red tape," Ruwiyatmo said.
"So we have now become an administration with less structure, but more function."
Sragen administration began its reform in 2002 by establishing its Integrated Service Agency and an integrated technology and information system at its regency office.
Autor(en)/Author(s): Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo
Quelle/Source: The Jakarta Post, 27.09.2007
