Ombudsman Launches Two Books Documenting Public Service Oversight History

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Ombudsman (ORI) launched two books documenting the history of public service oversight to commemorate its 26th anniversary, in Jakarta on Tuesday. The two books are titled 25 Years of the Indonesian Ombudsman and Traces of Oversight Steps in Pandemic Mitigation and Efficiency. “The compilation of these two books is a concrete step to document the institution’s history and achievements so that they can serve as literacy material from generation to generation,” said ORI Chairman Mokhammad Najih at the launch event. He stated that the two books are efforts to document the institution’s journey and achievements in carrying out public service oversight duties. Nevertheless, he said, the launched books can still be improved in future periods to realise an even better Ombudsman institution. Furthermore, Najih explained that the book Traces of Oversight Steps in Pandemic Mitigation and Efficiency specifically dissects the experiences from the Ombudsman leadership journey during the 2021-2026 period, when the world and Indonesia were hit by the pandemic. It was mentioned that the second book is a record of public service oversight steps during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the efficiencies that occurred at the end of the current ORI leadership term. “In the pandemic mitigation and efficiency situation, various efforts have been made that can hopefully serve as learning,” he stated. He also emphasised that each leadership period has its own colour and character. Therefore, the various documented experiences will become valuable information for navigating the future direction of the Ombudsman. According to him, these various experiences can serve as information on how to take the Ombudsman forward because the biggest challenge for ORI is the institution’s existence that still needs to be continuously strengthened. In line with that, Event Committee Chairman and Head of the Bureau of Law, Cooperation, and Organisation of the Indonesian Ombudsman Esti Budiyarti explained that the compilation of the books is not merely to celebrate the anniversary, but also as an educational medium to convey various good practices in public services to the public. The book 25 Years of the Indonesian Ombudsman, she said, was compiled as a form of documentation of the Ombudsman’s long journey in carrying out its mandate to fulfil the right to fair and quality public services for the community. Meanwhile, she continued, the book Traces of Oversight Steps in Pandemic Mitigation and Efficiency is a record that reviews the contributions of the Indonesian Ombudsman in continuing to optimally carry out oversight duties amid the pandemic period and efficiency adjustments.