Public Service Ethics of Government Apparatus Indonesia

Public Service Ethics of Government Apparatus Indonesia

Prof. Dr. Drs. Budi Supriyatno, MM.,MSI¹, Reni Karno Kinasih, ST.,MT², Dr. Azis Hakim. SE. MSI³, Salim Bugis⁴

¹Professor of Krisnadwipayana University, Jakarta-Indonesia

²Lecturer at Universitas Mercu Buana, Jakarta-Indonesia

³Head of Master of Public Administration Study Program Krisnadwipayana University, Jakarta-Indonesia

⁴Lecturer at Universitas Satyagama, Jakarta-Indonesia

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2024.8120036

Received: 18 November 2024; Accepted: 22 November 2024; Published: 28 December 2024

ABSTRACT

Public service is all activities in order to fulfill basic needs according to the basic rights of every citizen and resident for goods, services and/or administrative services provided by service providers related to the public interest. The public as customers have needs and expectations for the performance of professional public service providers. Government apparatus in the provision of public services cannot be separated from ethical issues, because they are related to issues of good and bad. In the practice of public services in Indonesia today, the public wants an apparatus consisting of honest people, based on goodness, who can produce goodness for the benefit of the community. Apparatus in public services must be able to place public interests above personal or group interests, be willing to sacrifice, and work hard. The fundamental problem in the public service process in Indonesia is about ethics. There is no universal standard of ethics and sanctions that specifically regulate violations committed by officials in public services.

Keywords: ethics, public services, government apparatus and society.

INTRODUCTION

Background

The opening of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia mandates that the purpose of establishing the Republic of Indonesia, among others, is to advance general welfare and educate the nation’s life. This mandate means that the state is obliged to fulfill the needs of every citizen through a system of government that supports the creation of excellent public service provision in order to fulfill the basic needs and civil rights of every citizen to public goods, public services and administrative services.

Today, the provision of public services in Indonesia is still faced with conditions that are not in accordance with the needs and changes in various areas of community, national and state life, this can be caused by uncertainty in responding to the occurrence of broad-dimensional value transformations and the impact of various complex development problems. Meanwhile, the new order of Indonesian society is faced with the hopes and challenges of globalization triggered by advances in the fields of science, information, communication, transportation, investment and rapid trade.

Service is one of the duties and functions of the government. This means that the government is obliged to provide services to the community according to the needs of the community. On the other hand, service is a right for the community.

The practice of public service delivery in Indonesia is currently still far from the expectations of the community, such as complicated service procedures. Public service procedures tend to deviate, such as only regulating community obligations. The uncertainty of service procedures requires the community to do illegal things such as paying extortionate fees to officers, so that certainty of service can be obtained as soon as possible. Like the case of alleged corruption of former Supreme Court official Zarof Ricar, who is considered to have received a flow of funds worth almost IDR 1 trillion which he received as a case broker. (News: New Indonesia 10/25/2024).

Violations of ethics in public services are difficult to trace and prove, because officers as servants who carry out extortion do not want to provide evidence, usually asking for cash. Serving officers are smart and cunning in deceiving law enforcement agencies such as: the prosecutor’s office, police, KPK and investigators.

Substantively, it is difficult to find honest and ethical officials, honesty is like a rare commodity in Indonesia, because there are still violations of ethics in public services in Indonesia, and these violations will continue to occur. The impact is that the government’s performance as a public servant has become a negative spotlight, especially in the democratic era, especially the administration of President Joko Widodo for the last five years, namely 2019- 2024. The public has begun to question the value and quality they receive from public services provided by the government.

All of these problems would not have occurred drastically if the government had been honest, had credibility and maintained its authority in the eyes of its citizens. In fact, government officials have good ethical standards in carrying out their governmental authority, such as having accountability and high integrity towards the demands of the aspirations and interests of the people they serve. A government like this can be realized if there is a climate of openness, active participation and community empowerment, as a manifestation of the idea that is currently starting to be developed, namely the application of public service ethics from the Indonesian government apparatus that is clean, honest and authoritative. In the first debate that took place at the office of the General Elections Commission (KPU) in Jakarta, December 12, 2024, candidate Prabowo Subianto (now President) emphasized his views on corruption. According to him, corruption is a form of betrayal of the nation and must be eradicated completely. Corruption is a deviation from public services carried out by government officials.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Definition of Service Quality

According to Karl Albrecht and Ron Zemke (2001), the quality of public service is the result of interactions between various aspects, namely service systems, human resources, service providers, strategies, and customers.[1]  Meanwhile, Budi Supriyatno (2022:23) states that good quality public service is fast, efficient, effective service supported by skilled government apparatus resources and has clear and transparent procedures.[2]

In terms of its implementation pattern, public services in Indonesia still have various weaknesses, including: less responsive, less informative, less coordinated, too bureaucratic, less willing to listen to public complaints, and inefficiency. In terms of its apparatus resources, the main weaknesses are related to professionalism, competence, empathy and ethics.[3] The work patterns used by most of the current apparatus are still influenced by the classical bureaucratic model with a hierarchical, formal legalistic, and closed system structured work method.[4]

Public Service Ethics

Budi Supriyatno (2022:12), public service ethics is a service that uses ethical and moral standards in carrying out the duties and functions of government apparatus in carrying out services for the public interest.[5] Apparatus in carrying out public services behave well, politely, friendly, quickly, responsively and accurately towards the community receiving the service.

Good service ethics reject any gratification. However, in practice, gratification continues, politeness and courtesy have begun to fade due to the less commendable actions of the apparatus. Case Example: Teacher Supriyani, accused of abusing a police officer’s child. This case began on April 25, 2024, when Aipda Wibowo Hasyim, a police officer and parent of a grade 1 student at SDN 4 Baito, reported Supriyani to the Baito Police for alleged abuse. After months of legal proceedings, the case reached a new point on October 16, 2024, when Supriyani was officially detained by the South Konawe District Attorney’s Office and placed in the Kendari Women’s Prison. This detention sparked widespread discussion on social media, especially after several groups questioned the urgency of detention in a case involving allegations of abuse against a teacher. The police stated that this legal process had been carried out with the principle of justice, but Supriyani and several public figures criticized the action. Supriyani’s attorney, Andre Darmawan, said that the legal procedures carried out contained ethical violations, because the reporter and investigator came from the same office, namely the Baito Police Sector (Polsek). Andre also added that there was an alleged request for a settlement of Rp50 million from the victim to Supriyani, a practice that he considered to violate legal procedures (Coverage 6.com. Jakarta, October 31, 2024).

Efforts to improve the image of the apparatus as a public servant need to instill good public service ethics. This requires the willingness of the apparatus to change their attitudes and behavioral orientation towards a better direction that prioritizes improving services to the community rather than personal and group interests.

For this reason, guidelines are needed that can be used as references. According to Mertins Jr (2003) there are four things that must be used as guidelines, namely:[6]

First, equality, equal treatment for the services provided. This is based on the type of rational apparatus behavior that consistently provides quality services to all parties regardless of political affiliation, social status, ethnicity, religion and so on. Providing equal treatment is identical to being honest, a behavior that deserves to be appreciated.

Second, equity, fair treatment. Pluralistic social conditions sometimes require fair treatment and equal treatment, sometimes fair treatment is needed but not the same for certain people. Third, loyalty, loyalty given to the constitution, law, leaders, subordinates and colleagues. These various types of loyalty are related to each other. There is no absolute loyalty given to one type of loyalty that ignores the others. Fourth, responsibility, every government official must be ready to accept responsibility for the tasks given and the results achieved.

The rapid development of the era and the increasingly complex problems faced by the apparatus, have caused a paradigm shift from rule government to the good governance paradigm, which not only focuses on the wishes of the government, but also involves all components of the nation such as the public sector, private sector and society.

There is an assumption that government officials are parties who always defend the interests of their people, but this is not always true. Many cases in the field prove that personal interests, families, groups, parties, and even higher ruling structures, actually dictate the behavior of a government official. For example, the Constitutional Court Decision on the age limit for presidential and vice presidential candidates. Case Number 90/PUU-XXI/2023 continues to reap pros and cons. The Constitutional Court granted part of the petition that tested Article 169 letter q of Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections which opens up opportunities for presidential and vice presidential candidates who are at least 40 years old or have/are holding positions elected through elections including regional elections to run in the 2024 Election. Gibran passed to become vice presidential candidate. This incident became a hot topic on social media and in the real world, from ordinary people to professors taking to the streets to demonstrate. The Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, who is still the brother-in-law of the ruler, became the target of criticism on social media. The loss of good ethics in carrying out services to the people is not defending the interests of the people but defending the interests of the ruler.

Definition of Public Service

Based on Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 25 of 2009, public service is an activity or series of activities in order to fulfill service needs in accordance with laws and regulations for every citizen and resident for goods, services and administrative services provided by public service providers.[7]

Meanwhile, according to the Decree of the Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment Number. 63 of 2003, public service is a service activity carried out by public service providers as an effort to fulfill the needs of service recipients or the implementation of provisions of laws and regulations.[8]

According to Budi Supriyatno, public service is an activity carried out by public service providers in order to fulfill service needs according to the needs of citizens.[9] In this context, public service focuses more on the process of governance being maximized and utilized to provide services effectively and efficiently. Because the government is the party serving who is given responsibility.

Every public service apparatus must have an attitude, mentality and behavior that reflects superior character, nobility of character and ethical principles. Apparatus must develop themselves so that they can understand, appreciate and apply various ethical principles that are based on moral virtue in their official actions.

The principles of public service ethics developed by Michael S Josephson can be used as a reference for apparatus in providing services, including:[10]

1. Honest, trustworthy, not lying, not cheating, stealing, cheating and being convoluted;
2. Integrity, having principles, honorable, not sacrificing moral principles and not being two- faced;
3. Keeping promises, fulfilling promises and obeying the spirit of the agreement as its contents and not interpreting the contents of the agreement unilaterally;
4. Loyal, loyal and obedient to the obligations that should be carried out;
5. Fair, treating people equally, tolerant, accepting differences and being open-minded;
6. Caring, paying attention to the welfare of others, providing kindness in service;
7. Respect, respecting human dignity, privacy and the right to determine one’s fate for each person;
8. Citizenship, being responsible for respecting, appreciating and encouraging democratic decision-making;
9. Excellence, paying attention to the quality of

Research Methods

The research method used in this study is a qualitative method that uses methods, steps, and procedures that involve more data and information obtained through interviews, observations, and documentation. Respondents as subjects who can express their own answers and feelings to get a holistic overview.

This qualitative research aims to understand social reality, namely seeing public services directly carried out by the apparatus as they are, not a world that is engineered, so this researcher is open and nothing is covered up. For us (researchers) conducting qualitative research properly and correctly in public services is one of the best ways to find and understand the reality of services in the field that are actually carried out by Indonesian government apparatus. In this qualitative research, it was carried out in natural conditions and the results were accurate according to scientific standards.

DISCUSSION

Public Service Principles

The principles of public service are based on the decree of the Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment Number. 63/KEP/M.PAN/7/2003 containing several service principles as follows:

1. So the principle of public service is simplicity. The meaning of simplicity is that the service is not complicated, easy to implement and easy to understand by the public.
2. The second principle is to have an element of clarity. Both technically and administratively clear. So if public service is unclear and the process goes round in circles, it needs to be questioned.
3. Certainty of Time. One of the principles of public service is certainty of time. Where all activities and events have a predetermined time.
4. It doesn’t stop there, it turns out, the working principle of public service focuses on accuracy. So what is meant by accuracy is working based on procedures and requirements and public service products that are received correctly, correctly and legally.
5. Of course, in terms of security, the working principle provides legal certainty, so that the public feels safe. 6. Responsibility. Another principle is to work with a sense of responsibility for what is done without complaining and being ready to help the community for the benefit of public services.
6. Completeness of facilities and infrastructure. When we are dealing with the interests of public services, the community is required to pay attention to the completeness of the files or letters needed by the public service team.
7. Ease of access. Meanwhile, what is meant by ease of access is to find out whether the services being carried out are adequate and affordable for the community. Including ease of access that is modern through the convenience of informatics and telecommunications.
8. Discipline, Politeness and Friendliness. There is also what is meant by 3K, namely discipline, politeness and friendliness. So people who work as public services are required to be disciplined, polite, courteous and friendly when providing services to the community who have various characters.
9. The last principle is to provide comfort for the community who need services. Including providing comfort in cleanliness, spatial planning, facilities, and the environment.

Strategic Steps for Public Service

Seeing how complex the problems that occur in the practice of public service provision are, efforts to implement public service ethics in Indonesia require a comprehensive understanding, and touch on all dimensions of the problems faced by state apparatus.

Strategic steps that can be taken to overcome public service problems can be done in the following ways:

1. Online Complaints System. The government needs to open an online Complaints System that can be utilized by the public. Now in the digital era, the public has the right and to submit complaints online at any time when they are made difficult by government The Online Complaints System is to guarantee the public’s rights so that complaints from anywhere and of any type will be channeled to the public service provider who is authorized to handle them. The objectives of the Online Complaints System are so that:
   1. Organizers can manage complaints from the public simply, quickly, accurately, completely, and in a well-coordinated manner;
   2. Organizers provide access for public participation in submitting complaints; and
   3. Improve the quality of public
2. Public Service Facilities. The government as the service implementer is obliged to manage public service facilities effectively, efficiently, transparently, accountably, and sustainably and is responsible for the maintenance of public facilities needed by the The government is obliged to provide information on the condition and needs of public service facilities and implementation in accordance with the demands of public service standards.
3. Determination of service standards. Service standards are a commitment of service providers to provide services with a certain quality that is determined based on a combination of community expectations and the capabilities of service providers. Determination of service standards is carried out through the process of identifying types of services, identifying customers, identifying customer expectations, formulating service visions and missions, analyzing processes and procedures, facilities and infrastructure, time and service costs. This process will not only provide information on service standards that must be set, but also information on institutions that are able to support the implementation of management processes that produce services in accordance with established standards.
4. Standard operating procedures. To ensure that the service process can run consistently, Standard Operating Procedures are needed. With the existence of Standard Operating Procedures, the processing process carried out internally in the service unit can run according to clear references, so that it can run consistently.
5. Customer satisfaction survey. To maintain public satisfaction, it is necessary to develop a mechanism for assessing public satisfaction with the services provided by public service providers. In the concept of service management, customer satisfaction can be achieved if the service products provided by service providers meet the quality expected by the public. Therefore, customer satisfaction surveys have an important meaning in efforts to improve public services.

Implementation of Public Services in Government

The implementation of public services using e-government is carried out in the following ways:

1. Developing a reliable service system that can be reached by the wider community by evenly distributing communication networks throughout Indonesia.
2. Organizing the system and work processes of the government and autonomous government holistically by preparing human resources who are familiar with technology.
3. Utilizing information and communication technology optimally by providing complete
4. Increasing the role of the business world and developing the telecommunications and information technology industry.
5. Implementing systematic development through realistic and measurable stages, namely through the stages of preparation, maturation, consolidation, and utilization.

Improving Public Service Ethics

In implementing policies, the apparatus has the authority to freely interpret a political policy in the form of a program. On that basis, ethics are needed to be used as guidelines, references, instructions on what must be done by the apparatus in carrying out service duties and at the same time used as a standard for assessing whether the behavior of the apparatus in implementing the policy can be said to be good or bad.

The increasingly critical condition of society has resulted in public officials having to change their positions and roles in providing public services, namely from those who like to regulate and command to those who like to serve, from those who like to use a power approach to a more flexible, collaborative and dialogical direction, and from sloganeering methods to realistic pragmatic working methods.

Government officials must be able to improve professional, effective, efficient, simple, transparent, open, timely, responsive, adaptive behavior and be able to build the quality of professional public services needed by the community.

Professional public service ethics are public services that are based on accountability and responsibility from service providers. The characteristics are as follows:

1. Politeness has good character, manners in serving the community, no discrimination.
2. Effective and Efficient. Effective is the achievement of goals in serving the community. A service is said to be effective if the goals or targets in the service can be achieved properly. Efficient is the timeliness in carrying out services. Work is said to be efficient if the resources used to serve achieve the goals, as little as possible there is no waste. Effective and Efficient can bring beneficial results indicating something that is appropriate for the
3. Simple Process. Simple processes and procedures are carried out easily, quickly, precisely, without complications, easy to understand and easy to understand by the community.
4. Clarity and certainty in public services. Service requirements, both technical and administrative, are easy for the community to understand. .
5. Service rates and procedures. Service rates and payment procedures must be transparent, there are no illegal levies.
6. Service completion schedule. Timeliness, the implementation of public services can be completed within a predetermined time period.
7. Responsive in the sense of responsiveness to the aspirations of the community being served.
8. Adaptive can adjust to the demands, desires and aspirations of the community being served along with developments.

Ethics of the American Society for Public Administration

Ethical awareness in public service has increased in other countries, for example in the United States. The code of ethics owned by the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) continues to receive criticism and has been revised repeatedly by its members. The values that are used as a guideline for the behavior of its members include integrity, truth, honesty, fortitude, respect, attention, friendliness, speed, responsiveness, prioritizing the public interest, professionalism, professional development, open communication, transparency, creativity, dedication, compassion, freedom of authority for the public interest, protection of confidential information, merit system and affirmative action.

The American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) in 1981 developed the following code of ethics for public service:[11]

1. Service to the community is above service to oneself;
2. The people are sovereign and government agencies are responsible to the people; The law regulates all actions of government agencies. If the law has a double meaning, is unwise or needs to be changed, then the interests of the people must be the benchmark;
3. Efficient and effective management. Abuse of influence, embezzlement, waste or misappropriation cannot be justified. Employees are responsible for reporting any irregularities;
4. Performance appraisal systems, equal opportunities, and good intentions must be supported, implemented and developed;
5. Protection of the interests of the people. Conflicts of interest, bribery, gifts, or favoritism are unacceptable;
6. Service to the community requires special sensitivity with the characteristics of justice, courage, honesty, equality, competition and compassion;
7. Conscience plays an important role in choosing the direction of action. Awareness of the moral meaning in life is needed, an assessment of value priorities because good goals never justify immoral means (good and never justify immoral means);
8. State administrators are not only involved in preventing wrong things, but also in trying to do the right thing through carrying out responsibilities and completing tasks on time.

Expectations of the Indonesian People

The expectations of the Indonesian people for the apparatus in serving the community must have:

1. Integrity means being able to carry out tasks honestly and consistently between words and actions, behaving commendably, disciplined and dedicated based on norms and ethics.
2. Professional means being able to complete tasks well, thoroughly, in accordance with competence (expertise) and innovatively to achieve excellent results through cooperation; and professional includes behavior: excellent service; innovative; and cooperation in carrying out public services.
3. Accountable means being able to be responsible for every action, behavior and task, both in terms of process and results. Accountable includes behavior: trustworthy; high performance; and continuous improvement.
4. Prioritizing public interests. Prioritizing public interests. rather than personal/group interests in every implementation of official duties;
5. Rejecting gratification. Rejecting any gratification related to the position and/or contrary to official duties and obligations;
6. Rejecting Corruption, Collusion and Nepotismand reporting every receipt of gratification to law enforcement.

CONCLUSION

1. Government agencies in this case, public service providers, cannot be separated from ethical issues, because they are related to issues of good and bad.
2. In the current practice of public services in Indonesia, the public wants an apparatus consisting of honest people, based on the nature of truth, which will produce goodness for the benefit of the community.
3. Personal or group goals must be set aside by all means, this character must be demonstrated, living the values of truth, goodness and honesty in serving the public.
4. The apparatus in this public service places the public interest above personal or group interests, is willing to sacrifice, and works hard selflessly.

Suggestions

1. Protection is needed for the public who make complaints, if necessary special incentives in order to improve morality in public services.
2. Joint commitment and synergy between the apparatus and the public to determine ethical moral values in the implementation of public services.
3. Legislation governing ethics is needed so that public services can run well and can be used as a basis for violations and appropriate sanctions.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Albrecht,Karl and Ron  Zemke (2001).  Service  America  in  the  New Economy Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 2nd edition (August 20, 2001).
2. American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) pada tahun 1981. https://www.aspanet.org/ASPA/ASPA/About-ASPA/ASPA-Hi
3. Political Theory of Aristotle.
4. Bertens, 2000. Introduction to Business Ethics. Yogyakarta: Kanisius.
5. Blau, Peter A. dan Charles H. Page (1956). Bureaucracy in Modern Society. Publishied : University of Chicago With a foreword by Charles H. Page, Provost, University of California, Santa Cruz Random House New York.
6. Denhardt, Khateryn G. (1988) The Athics of Publich Servic Resolving Moral Dilemmas in Public Organizations. Publishied : Greenwood Press.
7. Geoffrey M, Hodgson (2013). Journal Article. The Enduring Relevance of Darwin’s Theory of Morality Bio Science, Volume 63, Issue  7,  July 2013,   Pages     513– 514, https://doi.org/10.1525/bio.2013.63.7.2. Published: 01 July
8. Jabbra, Joseph and O. P. Dwivedi (1989) Public Service Accountability a Comparative Perspective. Published in West Hartford, Conn, p. 53
9. Jay Shafritz, E. W. Russell, Christopher P. Borick, Albert C. Hyde. Introducing Public Administration. Publishied: Taylor & Francis, 2016, p. 34
10. Josephson, Michael S. (2005). Preserving the Public Trust: The Five Principles of Public Service Ethics. Publishing: Josepshon Institute of Etich.
11. Martins, Jr (ed). Professional Standards and Ethics. Washington, DC: ASPA Publisher.
12. Morstein Marx, (1946).Elements  of Public  Administration. Publishied inlibrary; printdisabled; internetarchivebooks.
13. Supriyatno, Budi (2014) Philosophy and Ethics of Government. Brilliant
14. Supriyatno, Budi (2022). Public Service Ethics. Seminar Article, Satyagama University Jakarta. Tanner,Duncan (2006) Twentieth Century British History, Journal Article, Volume 17, Issue 4,
15. 2006, Pages 545–578, https://doi.org/10.1093/tcbh/hwl026 Published: 01 January 2006 Terry L, (2004) Big Questions in Administrative Ethics: A Need for Focused,
16. Collaborative Effort. Public Administration Review. Journal Article. Vol. 64, 4 (Jul. – Aug., 2004), pp. 395-407 (13 pages). Published By: Wiley.
17. Weber, Max (1947) The Theory of Social And Economic Free Press, 1947.

Legislation

Law No. 25 of 2009 Concerning Public Services.

Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 25 of 2009 Concerning Public Services.

Decree of the Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment Number: 63/Kep/M.Pan/7/2003 Concerning General Guidelines for the Implementation of Public Services Decree of the Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment Number: 63/Kep/M.Pan/7/2003 Concerning General Guidelines for the Implementation of Public Services

FOOTNOTES

[1] Karl Albrecht and Ron Zemke (2001). Service America in the New Economy. Publisher : McGraw-Hill; 2nd edition (August 20, 2001).

[2] Budi Supriyatno (2022). Public Service Ethics. Seminar Article, Satyagama University, Jakarta.pp.15

[3] Ibid. Budi Supriyatno (2022). Public Service Ethics..

[4] Ibid. Budi Supriyatno (2022). Public Service Ethics..

[5] Ibid. Budi Supriyatno (2022). Public Service Ethics..

[6] Martins, Jr (ed). (1979). Professional Standards and Ethics. Washington, DC: ASPA Publisher.pp.27

[7] Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 25 of 2009 concerning Public Services.

[8] Decree of the Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment Number: 63/Kep/M.Pan/7/2003 Concerning General Guidelines for the Provision of Public Services Decree of the Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment Number: 63/Kep/M.Pan/7/2003 Concerning General Guidelines for the Provision of Public Services

[9] Budi Supriyatno (2022). Public Service Ethics. Seminar Article, Satyagama University, Jakarta.pp.15

[10] Michael S. Josephson (2005). Preserving the Public Trust: The Five Principles of Public Service Ethics. Publishing: Josepshon Institute of Etich.pp.35.

[11] Michael S. Josephson (2005). Preserving the Public Trust: The Five Principles of Public Service Ethics. Publishing: Josepshon Institute of Etich.pp.35.