Radea Respati Urges End to Dual Document Practices to Support Smart City and Waste Reduction

The Bandung City Government’s efforts to reduce waste generation and accelerate digital transformation could be further strengthened by optimising electronic-based administration systems. One area that warrants attention is the evaluation of administrative practices that still require the simultaneous use of softcopy and hardcopy documents. Bandung is currently targeting a reduction in waste generation of up to 250 tonnes per day through source-level waste management and the strengthening of processing systems at the regional level. This target is reinforced in the Bandung City Waste Management Master Plan 2024–2043, which carries the vision of a Waste-Free Bandung through the application of reduce, reuse, and recycle (3R) principles. In practice, several government agencies still maintain administrative procedures requiring documents to be submitted in digital form while also being printed in physical form. This situation is seen as presenting an opportunity for improvement to make the use of paper and administrative supplies more efficient. Chairman of Commission I of the Bandung City Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD), Radea Respati, stated that if a document already possesses legality through an electronic signature, digital correspondence system, or electronic archive, then printing the same document should ideally no longer be a routine obligation. According to him, the use of hardcopies can be focused on specific documents expressly required by statutory provisions. “Besides increasing the volume of paper waste, the simultaneous use of two document formats also impacts budget wastage, increases energy consumption, and is not aligned with the principles of modern bureaucracy that prioritise effectiveness, efficiency, and environmental sustainability,” said Radea. He added, “The use of paper documents slows down the realisation of a smart city because it hampers efficiency, limits data integration, and contradicts the principles of sustainability.” Radea explained that Bandung City Regional Regulation Number 9 of 2018 on Waste Management has mandated the importance of reducing waste generation at its source. Therefore, the more optimal implementation of digital administration is considered a form of support for that policy. He also holds the view that the various achievements of the Bandung City Government in waste management need to be continuously strengthened through improvements in administrative governance, including by reducing the use of paper documents that are no longer necessary. Going forward, Radea is pushing for an evaluation of administrative procedures within the Bandung City Government so that the use of softcopies and hardcopies can be adjusted according to need. He also proposed a new work culture of confirming first before printing documents. “Digitalisation of administration must be realised in its entirety, not merely transferring documents to electronic format while still maintaining an excessive printing culture,” he said. According to Radea, the simple step of reducing the obligation to print documents that are already available digitally has the potential to provide tangible benefits, ranging from curbing paper use and increasing government budget efficiency to supporting the realisation of Bandung as a modern, environmentally friendly, and sustainable city.