Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Strengthens Merit System for the State Civil Apparatus in Line with RPJMN 2025–2029
Rencana Pembangunan Jangka Menengah Nasional (RPJMN) 2025-2029 places the development of the State Civil Apparatus (ASN) as a priority in transforming governance through a strengthened merit system and talent management. In line with this policy direction, the Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform (Kementerian PANRB) issued Ministerial Regulation No. 19 of 2025 on the provision of the Merit System in ASN Management. Deputy Minister Purwadi Arianto said the regulation provides the basis to ensure the merit system is implemented consistently across all government agencies. He made the remarks when opening the socialisation of PermenPANRB No. 19/2025 on the Merit System in ASN Management to all local governments at the PANRB office in Jakarta, on Tuesday (4 March) 2026.
“The purpose of this ministerial regulation is to ensure the realisation of the ASN who are integritas, professional, netral, and free from corruption, collusion, and nepotism (KKN), and able to implement policies and public services effectively,” he said in a written statement on 4 March 2026.
He explained that future sharpening of the merit system implementation will be conducted through five measures. First, the strengthening of eight aspects of the merit system in an integrated manner across the entire ASN management cycle, from planning to digitalisation.
Second, there will be a change in orientation in how maturity of the merit system is measured, focusing on three dimensions simultaneously: availability, quality, and utilisation. The third step is to produce a more objective merit index, supported by survey instruments on ASN satisfaction and engagement, and taking into account adjustment factors.
“This is done so that the measured index results are filtered strictly and proportionally,” he stated.
Fourth, the merit system will be strongly integrated with talent management going forward. With this integration, the merit system becomes the core foundation in filling vacancies, career development, and succession planning based on the best talent possessed by the agency. The final point is that strengthening the merit system will be supported by digitalisation of ASN management and more objective supervision.
“With this sharpening, the merit system is not expected to be perceived as merely a bureaucratic requirement, but rather an instrument that has a real impact on improving the quality of ASN performance and organisational performance,” he explained.
Purwadi noted that the President has repeatedly directed bureaucratic reform, particularly in human resources. The President has given special attention to strengthening ASN management as the key to raising bureaucratic quality.
Aligned with that direction, the National Reform Blueprint for the Bureaucracy 2025-2045 (DBRBN 2025-2045) sets the World Class Bureaucracy 2045 vision. This vision asserts a commitment to building a collaborative, capable, and integrous bureaucracy to support Indonesia Emas 2045.
Within this framework, one of its main targets is to create a state apparatus that is competent and high-performing on merit.
“The target is clear. All government agencies will be in the leading category in the Merit System Index by 2045. In other words, the merit system is not merely a tool of personnel management but the foundation for constructing the national ASN quality,” Purwadi stressed.
He also stated that the policy direction ultimately aims for the 2045 ASN quality to be achieved: ASN who are integritas, adaptable, and competent.
“This quality must be ensured through objective and consistent management of ASN, including the application of the merit system at local government level,” he concluded.