West Java and North Sumatra Forge Strategic Partnership on Public Services and Digitalisation
Bandung (ANTARA) - The West Java and North Sumatra provincial governments are strengthening strategic development ties through practical cooperation focused on improving the quality of public services, accelerating bureaucratic reform and transforming government through digitalisation.
West Java Deputy Governor Erwan Setiawan welcomed the partnership, formalised in a cooperation agreement during North Sumatra Deputy Governor Surya’s recent working visit to West Java. He said collaboration between regions was vital to their shared progress.
“Collaboration of this kind is very important. We hope relations and cooperation between the two provinces will continue to grow,” Erwan said in Bandung on Wednesday.
He stressed that the agreed memorandum must not stop at an administrative ceremony or remain a document on paper, but should quickly be turned into concrete programmes that directly benefit the public.
“This cooperation agreement must genuinely be put into practice, not merely remain a document on paper,” he said.
Erwan also outlined West Java’s experience in improving governance, performance management and public service standards.
He said that many bureaucratic innovations developed in West Java had been adopted by other regions across Indonesia.
“West Java continues to make various improvements to raise its assessment results. Many of our programmes have also been replicated by other regions,” he said.
In a statement from the West Java provincial government, North Sumatra Deputy Governor Surya praised West Java’s openness in sharing best practices. He said the partnership would serve as a strategic bridge for bringing together the two regions’ competitive strengths.
Surya said West Java had substantial experience in government innovation, digital transformation and public service management, while North Sumatra had considerable potential in agriculture, plantations, trade, industry and tourism.
“Through focused cooperation, we can learn from one another, share experience, bring our strengths together and develop innovations to accelerate development and improve the welfare of people in both provinces,” he said.
West Java’s Head of the Bureau of Government and Regional Autonomy, Faiz Rahman, said the two provincial governments were optimistic that the strategic alliance would strengthen both sides, particularly their institutional capacity to develop a bureaucracy that was more adaptable, innovative and responsive to the changing needs of modern society. Faiz said the agreement would be signed by the respective regional heads.