Sleman regency getting better with age

Sleman regency getting better with age

Sri Wahyuni, Sleman, Yogyakarta

Every Wednesday and Thursday over the past few months, Sleman
government officials have worn two-piece uniforms of sky-blue
shirts/blouses and dark blue trousers/skirts, instead of the
usual yellow-brown national uniform, which has been the official
uniform of Indonesia's civil servants for years.

Some female employees in the capital of Sleman regency, Beran,
also wear scarves matching their uniforms, giving the impression
of professional civil servants.

The new uniform, which has a more "civilian" look than the
semi-militaristic style of the normal uniform, is just one of a
string of initiatives aimed at creating good governance, said
Sutrisno, secretary of the Sleman administration.

"This is part of our efforts to make the people of Sleman
proud (of their officials)," he said.

Speaking at a press conference here in conjunction with the
regency's 88th anniversary, which falls on May 15, Sutrisno said
the Sleman administration had stepped up efforts to improve the
regency's image.

He pointed to the achievement of getting Sleman's soccer team,
PSS, into the country's top league, and building a Rp 150-billion
soccer stadium in Maguwoharjo village, Depok, that meets
international standards.

The stadium is still under construction and is scheduled to be
officially opened by the end of this year.

In order to improve the image of civil servants, Sutrisno said
the administration would implement performance-based budgeting,
where budget allocations would be based on an agency's targeted
products or services and outcome. Under this program, any agency
whose performance exceeded set standards would be given
incentives, and vice versa.

Sleman is a pioneer with this initiative, Sutrisno said,
though many Sleman residents are not yet aware of the program.

"In discussions among officials, however, we are relatively
well-known for the success of this pilot project. Every time I
meet colleagues from other regencies, they promptly ask about PSS
or our performance-based budgeting," he said proudly.

He said a planned "carrot-and-stick" approach to measuring
officials' performance would further boost Sleman's image as a
place for clean and professional government. This system is being
prepared with help from a consulting company from Jakarta and the
Building Institution for Good Governance.

"The main idea is for people to be able to distinguish civil
servants who just come to the office to read the newspaper or who
go shopping during office hours, from those who really work hard
accomplishing their jobs," said Sutrisno, explaining that rewards
would be given in the form of financial bonuses.

This new system is scheduled to come into effect through a
regent's decree by the beginning of next year at the latest. If
all goes according to plan, Sleman will be the first regency in
the country to use such a performance-based appraisal system, a
fact that will hopefully make Sleman's civil servants proud.

"We hoped to make this year's anniversary celebration the
culmination point of all the efforts. However, some of the
projects are still in progress, including the reward system we
are preparing for our civil servants.

"Hopefully it will be ready for implementation by the end of
the year or the beginning of next year at the latest," said
Sutrisno, who is also the chairman of this year's Sleman
anniversary celebration committee.

He said improving the image of the regency would instill pride
in Sleman's residents, and help win their support for efforts to
develop the region.

Theoretically, he said, by improving all aspects of life in
Sleman, residents will think twice before doing something that
could ruin the image of the regency.

"It is a different feeling, of course, from just being
ordinary to becoming the number one region. We residents of
Sleman from all walks of life will be proud of their regency, and
will be motivated to give their best for their home," Sutrisno
said.

Located in the northern part of Yogyakarta province, Sleman
regency has prepared a series of round-the-clock activities to
mark its 88th anniversary. These activities include a band
competition for kindergarten students, an official ceremony at
the regency legislative council, where all councilors are
expected to wear traditional Javanese costumes, a carnival, an
official ceremony at the local government office and a night-long
shadow puppet performance.

Sleman only began celebrating its anniversary five years ago,
after the local government decided to make May 15 the regency's
official founding date. That decision followed a long, careful
study involving local historians, cultural experts and
councilors.

On May 15, 1916, Yogyakarta's sultan Hamengku Buwono VII
(1877-1921) issued Rijksblad Van Jogjakarta No. 11 on the
reorganization of the Yogyakarta government. Accordingly,
Yogyakarta kingdom was divided into the three regencies of
Kalasan, Bantul and Sleman.

"We are still in the process of letting people know about the
anniversary, making it not just a celebration of the local
government but most importantly a celebration for all of the
people of Sleman," Sutrisno said.

He hopes that by creating a sense of belonging, everyone in
Sleman will work together to accelerate development in the
area.