Minister Stresses Digitalisation Must Make Public Services Easier

Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Rini Widyantini has stressed that the government’s digital transformation must be focused on benefits felt by the public.

These benefits include easier access to services, reduced administrative burdens, improved public service quality and greater trust in government.

Rini said the success of digital transformation should not be measured solely by technological sophistication or digitalisation index scores.

“Ultimately, digital transformation is not just about how advanced the technology we have is, but about how much positive change we can deliver for the public,” Rini said in a written statement on Wednesday (21 October 2026).

She made the remarks at the Peruri Digital Summit 2026 in Jakarta.

Technology adoption must also be accompanied by a stronger role for the state civil apparatus (ASN). Technology should not take over the bureaucracy’s responsibilities, but should help civil servants work to a higher standard, carry out their duties more effectively and provide better public services.

“We are not building a bureaucracy that hands its responsibilities over to machines. Technology should instead help civil servants work to a higher standard, enabling them to provide better services to the public,” she said.

Alongside strengthening the role of civil servants, successful digital transformation also depends on integrating data and services across agencies, cybersecurity, privacy protection and trustworthy technology governance.

Rini also highlighted the importance of collaboration between the government, PERURI, businesses, academics and technology partners in building a national digital government ecosystem.

She said she hoped the Peruri Digital Summit 2026 would further strengthen collaboration among these parties to create an integrated, secure, adaptive and trusted digital government.

“Today, the question is no longer simply how to become digital, but how to remain relevant and adapt when technological developments are moving faster than the policy cycle,” she concluded.