Minister Dody: Transfers Are Not Punishment, But a Noble Duty
Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggodo has stressed that the placement or transfer of civil servants to various regions across the country is not a form of punishment. He argued that reassignment to eastern or western Indonesia should be seen as an opportunity for civil servants to enhance their working capabilities.
“One thing I must slowly eradicate from the mindset of our Public Works colleagues is that postings outside Jakarta, anywhere, should not be considered a punishment — whether in Eastern Indonesia, Western Indonesia, or Central Indonesia. Our duty at the Ministry of Public Works is to build and maintain infrastructure, and that infrastructure is everywhere, especially now with the addition of regional roads and regional irrigation. It is called ‘regional’ because it cannot possibly be in Jakarta,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Public Works office in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Dody noted that civil servants assigned to the regions have greater opportunities to develop their creativity. Moreover, they will interact directly with local communities and share their experiences while stationed there.
“Working in the regions is more noble because your creativity can flourish better there, and your interaction with the local community can be deeper. After all, we are only human; newcomers, while local people certainly understand the area far better,” he explained.
He illustrated that local community knowledge often plays a vital role in infrastructure development. The experience of residents can help the government understand regional conditions more effectively and in detail. Sometimes, newcomers feel they possess advanced technology to locate groundwater sources, whereas long-term residents typically have better knowledge of their area’s conditions due to experience.
According to Dody, combining modern technology with local community knowledge can produce more targeted development solutions. Through this process, civil servants are also believed to be able to shape their character and leadership skills alongside their work experience in the regions.
Looking ahead, Dody hopes that civil servants within the Ministry of Public Works will no longer view regional postings as something to be avoided. Instead, such assignments should be seen as opportunities to improve competence before taking on greater responsibilities in the future. He also believes that civil servants with extensive working hours across various parts of Indonesia will become stronger individuals when they later occupy strategic positions, from Director General to other leadership roles within the Ministry of Public Works.
“In my view, civil servants at the Ministry of Public Works absolutely must not consider postings anywhere — be it in Papua, Maluku, Aceh, Sumba, or anywhere else — as anything other than a place where their dignity is elevated and they are made more capable. So that later, when they return to Jakarta, become a Director, Director General, or even Minister, they will truly possess superior competence,” he concluded.