Buleleng Studies Two Flagship Innovations of Banyuwangi Regency Government
The Buleleng Regency Government is studying two flagship innovations owned by the Banyuwangi Regency Government in East Java. The two programmes receiving attention are ‘Bunga Desa’ (Regent Working in the Village) and the arts group coaching model which has successfully produced independent cultural communities.
The Head of the Communication, Informatics, Cryptography, and Statistics Service of Buleleng Regency, Made Suharta, stated that there is much to learn from Banyuwangi, particularly regarding public service innovation and community-based arts development.
‘It was explained earlier that there is the Bunga Desa programme or Regent Working in the Village. This is one of the innovations of Banyuwangi Regency which we will likely convey to our leadership,’ Suharta said after a comparative study at the Banyuwangi Regent’s Office on Wednesday.
According to Suharta, the Bunga Desa programme is interesting because the government is directly present within the community. Through this programme, various public services can be accessed by residents down to the village level without needing to come to the central government office.
Beyond public services, Buleleng is also paying attention to the arts group coaching model implemented by Banyuwangi. The assistance provided by the local regional government is considered successful in producing independent arts groups capable of organising sustainable events.
‘In Banyuwangi, arts groups can be independent and can organise their own events. This is certainly something we can replicate,’ Suharta added.
Suharta assessed that Buleleng has sufficient capital to develop a similar concept, especially with the existence of the Bung Karno Green Open Space in Sukasada which has been a centre for various arts and cultural activities. ‘Buleleng Regency has the Bung Karno Green Open Space. Many cultural arts activities are also held there, so the coaching concept like in Banyuwangi is very relevant to develop in Buleleng,’ he concluded.
Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Communication, Informatics, and Cryptography Service of Banyuwangi Regency, Rahmawati Setyoardini, outlined several strategies that have made Banyuwangi widely known at both national and international levels. According to Rahmawati, Banyuwangi’s main identity was built through the branding ‘The Sunrise of Java’. This nickname was born because Banyuwangi is the easternmost region on Java Island that receives sunlight first every morning.
‘This philosophy implies that the people of Banyuwangi must always hasten, move early, and work hard because they are the first to receive the sun on Java Island,’ said Rahmawati. The branding was then reinforced with the ‘Majestic Banyuwangi’ concept, born from a joint study with international consultants facilitated by the Ministry of Tourism during the leadership of Regent Abdullah Azwar Anas.
‘From the results of that study, the Majestic Banyuwangi branding was born, depicting the magnificence of nature and culture that we possess,’ Rahmawati stated. ‘Banyuwangi has extraordinary natural wealth, from Mount Ijen, a range of mountains to coastal and marine areas. This potential is the basis for the creation of the Majestic Banyuwangi branding.’
Not only relying on natural beauty, Banyuwangi also consistently maintains and develops local traditions and culture, including the Gandrung art and various community traditions that continue to be preserved as part of the regional identity. The change in Banyuwangi’s image to a developed and widely recognised region, Rahmawati continued, did not happen instantly. She noted that the regional government consistently promotes local potential through development, promotion, and the organisation of various flagship agendas involving the community.
In addition to the tourism sector, Banyuwangi also continues to strengthen government administration through digital transformation. Various public service innovations have been developed to make it easier for the public to access government services quickly, easily, and transparently.