Central Java Governor urges OPD heads to improve bureaucracy

Semarang (ANTARA) - Central Java Governor Ahmad Luthfi has urged the newly appointed heads of regional apparatus organisations (OPDs) to implement changes in their work units by improving the bureaucracy.

“We want our bureaucracy to serve,” he said during the inauguration and oath-taking ceremony for High-Level Executive Officials and Senior Expert Functional Officials in the Central Java Provincial Government, held in Semarang on Monday.

According to him, the new officials, particularly OPD heads, must not get trapped in lengthy and exhausting bureaucratic processes, as bureaucracy should be present to serve, not merely to handle administrative matters.

He also stressed the importance of responding quickly to public complaints and urged that no public grievances be left unanswered for too long.

“So that there are no more public complaints from the community. They must be addressed within 1x24 hours to provide public services,” he asserted.

All government service functions, he continued, from health and infrastructure to local government affairs, must be able to reduce public complaints, while public criticism should be accepted as input for improving performance.

The newly inaugurated officials, he said, must immediately bring added value and changes upon returning to their respective work units.

Even though the people filling the positions may change, he added, the bureaucracy must continue to function and improve.

A total of 27 officials were inaugurated, consisting of 26 High-Level Executive Officials and one Senior Expert Functional Official. Of these, 13 officials received promotions and 13 underwent transfers or mutations.

He emphasised that positions are a trust that must be accounted for, both to oneself and to the Almighty God, so officials must work with integrity, professionalism, and provide added value to the organisation.

“Whatever position we hold is a mandate that we must account for to ourselves and to the Almighty God,” he said.

He added that the inauguration had gone through a merit system mechanism and had been verified by the National Civil Service Agency (BKN), serving as the basis for the legitimacy of the appointments of the inaugurated officials.

He also affirmed that there was no practice of favouritism in the position-filling process, which should serve as a benchmark for building clean and good governance.

“No favouritism, no brokerage services. Please make this our benchmark, so that we adhere to ‘clear and good governance’,” he said.