Indonesia's Ombudsman and Portland Ombudsman Share Public Service Oversight Knowledge

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Ombudsman (ORI) and the Portland Ombudsman exchanged knowledge on public service oversight during a meeting in Jakarta on Monday (4/5). ORI Secretary General Suganda Pandapotan Pasaribu expressed delight that the Portland Ombudsman could share experiences during the introductory meeting before the international seminar. “We will prepare well for the seminar on 5-6 May 2026, where we invite government agencies, local governments, and universities in Indonesia,” Suganda said during the meeting, as quoted from a confirmed statement in Jakarta on Tuesday. Suganda also explained the ORI organisation, which already has representative offices in 34 provinces and will soon expand to four new provinces. He outlined the 1,216 ORI employees distributed across the central office and representatives, divided into substantive and support functions. The meeting also covered ORI’s duties and functions in public service oversight, with specific details on maladministration prevention management and quality management. Meanwhile, Portland Ombudsman representative Jennifer Croft stated that the Portland Ombudsman is a division of the city auditor’s office in Portland, USA. She noted that the Portland Ombudsman advocates for fair and equitable city governance. Some of its tasks include receiving public service complaints from the city government, resolving complaints, conducting independent and impartial investigations, and making recommendations to relevant parties when complaints are substantiated. “We at the Portland Ombudsman have a small team, but we ensure the fulfilment of public services related to basic needs by the city government,” Jennifer said. The event was also attended by ORI’s Head of the Bureau of Law, Cooperation, and Organisation Esti Budiyarti, Head of the Main Assistant for Maladministration Prevention Management Herru Kriswahyu, and Head of the Main Assistant for Quality Management Awidya Mahadewi.