Forestry Minister accelerates service transformation through digitalisation

Denpasar (ANTARA) - Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni is encouraging the acceleration of service transformation within the Ministry of Forestry through the digitalisation of various services and licensing. In a statement received in Denpasar, Bali, on Thursday, the minister said this step is being taken to provide faster, easier, and more transparent public services. “This is an agenda I will improve, so that what President Prabowo Subianto desires regarding ease of doing business can be realised,” said the Forestry Minister. “People can do business well because the service is fast, while we also gain satisfaction in providing services and improving the bureaucratic reform index,” he added. Furthermore, Raja Antoni assessed that changes within the Ministry of Forestry are starting to show positive results, not only due to regulatory improvements but also changes in mindset and work culture. “I thank colleagues at the central office and in the field; I feel extraordinary progress. What previously felt impossible is now possible, with the changes in mindset, culture, and regulations we have made. We are improving our services, especially to the public,” he said. To accelerate this transformation, the Minister has asked all Echelon I units to map their services to determine digitalisation priorities. Some digitalisation efforts already underway include the National Park e-ticket, complaints handling in law enforcement (Gakkum), the Electronic Portal for Plant and Wildlife Transport Permits (Pesats), and the Forest and Land Fire Monitoring System (Sipongi). According to Raja Juli Antoni, the face of public service at the Ministry of Forestry must also keep up with the times. He noted that some services still use conventional patterns and need to be modernised to be more comfortable and oriented towards community needs. “I think we can gather all services from each directorate general, then see which ones are a priority to be improved with an online system and queuing,” said the Minister. “I still see counters that look like electricity payment counters from the old days. In fact, good service is now like in banking, open, with orderly queues, and people can even choose their arrival schedule and know their queue number before coming,” he added. He stressed that improving services is one of the priority agendas that will continue to be overseen. “In addition to improving the quality of service to the public, digital transformation is expected to strengthen bureaucratic reform and increase public trust in the Ministry of Forestry’s services,” he said.