Weak Oversight of Merit System Fuels Local Government Head Corruption
The Executive Director of the Regional Autonomy Implementation Monitoring Committee (KPPOD), Arman Suparman, has highlighted the prevalence of corruption practices involving local government heads and civil servants, attributing this phenomenon to weak oversight of the merit system within State Civil Apparatus (ASN) management at regional level.
Arman explained that whilst regulations stipulate that local government heads have a limited timeframe for restructuring organisations, loopholes for misuse remain wide open.
“Under existing regulations, local government heads are only permitted to carry out mutations, promotions, or demotions of ASN positions six months after their inauguration. However, the main problem lies in weak oversight of the merit system,” Arman told Media Indonesia on Tuesday (12 March).
According to him, the situation has become more complicated following the abolition of the Civil Apparatus Commission (KASN), which previously oversaw the implementation of the merit system, particularly in mutation and promotion processes for senior positions at regional level.
“Previously, KASN played an important role in overseeing mutation and promotion processes. When this oversight weakens, opportunities for abuse of authority become much greater,” he said.
Arman explained that as the personnel development official at regional level, local government heads hold significant authority in determining mutations and promotions of ASN positions. In several cases, this authority has been exploited for transactional practices.
“In some cases, this authority is misused through the practice of buying and selling positions,” he said.
On this basis, he believes that mutation and promotion processes at regional level need stricter oversight, particularly in the formation of selection committees.
“Selection committees must be truly independent and not under the influence of local government heads. If not, the position selection process will be highly vulnerable to politicisation,” Arman said.
He also urged the government to follow up on Constitutional Court decisions aimed at strengthening supervisory institutions for the merit system such as KASN.
“The presence of an independent supervisory institution is crucial to ensure that recruitment and promotion processes at regional level run objectively,” he said.
Additionally, Arman believes that public participation needs to be strengthened in the position selection process at regional level.
“The public should be able to participate in monitoring the track records of prospective officials who will fill strategic positions at regional level. In this way, the position-filling process becomes more transparent and accountable,” he said.