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APPLICATION OF THE NEW PUBLIC SERVICE (NPS) PRINCIPLES IN POPULATION ADMINISTRATION SERVICES IN TANGERANG REGENCY
MARISI PARULIAN1, WIRMAN SYAFRI1
institute Government of Home Affairs, Indonesia, ully.bakd@gmail.com Institute Government of Home Affairs, Indonesia, wirmansyafri@gmail.com
Abstract--The New Public Service (NPS) Paradigm is a concept developed to counter the administrative paradigm that has become mainstream, known as the New Public Management (NPM) paradigm, which operates on the principle of "running government like a business" or "market as a solution to the ills in the public sector." This research aims to explore alternative strategies to improve the quality of public services through the implementation of the New Public Service principles in population administration services. The focus of this literature review is on humanistic-based public services (serving citizens rather than treating them as customers), prioritizing the public interest, and ensuring accountability. The implementation of the New Public Service principles can enhance the synergy of public services and the responsiveness of public service organizations to the community's needs. Adopting the principles of citizen-centric service, seeking the public interest, and ensuring public service accountability as part of the New Public Service paradigm offers an alternative way to improve the quality of public services. This study adopts a qualitative approach.
Keywords- New Public Service, Public Implementation
INTRODUCTION
Serving the community is the primary objective of public administration. The delivery of public services in Indonesia is becoming an increasingly strategic policy issue, as improvements in public services seem to stagnate. The implications are far-reaching, as they touch all aspects of public life, including the economic, social, political, cultural, and other domains. Continual improvement of service quality remains a demand for the government and its agencies, both in formulating policies and providing public services. Hence, in providing services to the public, the government should respect the rights of its citizens and be prompt in fulfilling their needs.
Serving the public is the primary duty of public servants as servants of the state and society. This role is clearly stated in the fourth paragraph of the preamble to the 1945 Constitution, encompassing four fundamental aspects of public service to the community: protecting all Indonesian people and the entire territory of Indonesia, advancing the general welfare, educating the nation, and implementing a world order based on independence, eternal peace, and social justice. However, the implementation of public service is still not fully satisfactory to the community. Therefore, various studies and analyses, as well as the application of public administration in various developed and developing countries, are continually being conducted due to the complexity and dynamics of the social shifts faced by the government. Three perspectives in analyzing public administration are the old public administration, new public management, and new public service. [1] the perspective of the new public service positions citizens as the primary focus in democratic governance. Therefore, citizens or the public are not only seen as individuals but also as integral parts of the public service system. In the New Public Service (NPS) paradigm, the involvement of the public alongside the government is seen as a democratic process of public service reform. The New Public Service (NPS) as the latest paradigm in public administration places public service at the core of the roles of state and regional administrators. One of the core principles of NPS is how public administrators articulate and share the interests of citizens through public services. Since the 1990s until today, the theories and concepts of public administration have rapidly evolved, particularly with the emergence of the New Public Management (NPM) paradigm in the early 1990s, followed by the New Public Service (NPS) paradigm in the 2000s.
One of the government's policies in implementing New Public Service (NPS) is the provision of civil administration services to the public. Indonesia is one of the countries with the largest population in the world. According to data from the Directorate General of Population and Civil Registration (Ditjen Dukcapil) of the Ministry of Home Affairs of Indonesia, the population of Indonesia as of December 31, 2021, was approximately 273.87 million people. With such a large population, Indonesia certainly requires well-organized population administration from the central level to the regional level. The term "population administration" refers to all matters related to population, including population registration, civil registration, and management of population information data. The Ministry of Home Affairs, through the Directorate General of Population and Civil Registration, has conducted population data collection by building a systematic, structured, and interconnected population database using software, hardware, and data communication networks.
To support population data collection, the government has issued a policy through Law Number 23 of 2006 concerning Population Administration, which was last revised as Law Number 24 of 2013 concerning Amendments to Law Number 23 of 2006 concerning Population Administration. Specifically, Article 1 point 9 of Law Number 24 of 2013 states that population data refers to individual and/or aggregate data that is structured as a result of population registration and civil registration activities. In this policy, population administration refers to a series of activities in the arrangement and organization of issuing population documents and data through Population Registration, Civil Registration, management of population administration information, and the utilization of its results for public services and development in other sectors. The Tangerang Regency Government has established the Department of Population and Civil Registration as a Local Government Implementation Unit in providing services to the public in the fields of population registration and civil registration. Population services include population registration and civil registration. Population registration includes the issuance of Family Cards (KK), Electronic Identity Cards (e-KTP), Change of Residence Certificates, and Child Identity Cards (KIA), while civil registration includes the issuance of birth certificates, death certificates, divorce certificates, recognition and validation of child registration, name changes, and changes in citizenship registration.
In providing population administration services in Tangerang Regency, there are many shortcomings and limitations that often become obstacles in the service process, ultimately causing concern and dissatisfaction among the public. Among the various problems and phenomena, there are several recurring issues resulting from the ineffectiveness of the services, leading to public dissatisfaction due to a lack of responsibility from officials in serving the public, delays in serving the public's needs for population administration, and a lack of initiative from officials in making decisions regarding public services, resulting in subjective complaints from the public.
Therefore, based on these phenomena, the author identifies several issues that are the main focus of this writing, which is how to apply the principles of New Public Service (NPS) in the provision of population administration services in Tangerang Regency.
THEORETICAL REVIEW
Public Service
The provision of public services is regulated by the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 25 of 2009 concerning Public Services, which defines public services as a series of activities aimed at fulfilling service needs in accordance with the prevailing laws and regulations carried out by public service providers. Service is an activity that occurs through direct interaction between individuals or machines, providing customer satisfaction [2]. Public service, on the other hand, is defined by [2] as an effort to assist and provide benefits to the public through the provision of necessary goods or services. Thus, public service is an effort by the government to provide assistance or benefits to the public through the provision of goods and services needed by citizens.
In line with the development of state administration management and efforts to achieve excellent and quality services, the paradigm of public service has evolved with a focus on customer-driven government management. [3] Customer-driven government has the following characteristics; (a) It
focuses more on regulatory functions through various policies that facilitate the development of a conducive environment for public service activities by the community; (b) It emphasizes community empowerment, so that the community is aware of the importance of jointly building health; (c) It applies a competition system in the provision of certain public services to obtain quality services; (d) It is focused on vision, mission, objectives, targets, and results orientation; (e) It prioritizes the interests and needs of the community; (f) It plays a role in obtaining opinions and services provided by the government; (g) It prioritizes anticipation of service issues; (h) It prioritizes decentralization in service implementation; (i) It applies a market system in service delivery.
From a professional standpoint based on community interests, [3] professional public service entails accountability and responsibility of government officials as public servants, characterized by; (1) Effectiveness of service, meaning that services should prioritize the achievement of goals and objectives; (2) Simplicity in service, implying that service procedures should be as simple as possible and easily implemented by the public as service recipients, carried out quickly, accurately, and without complications by service providers; (3) Clarity and certainty in service, which means that public services must be clear and definite. Clarity and certainty refer to; (1) Service procedures or service protocols; (2) Requirements or criteria for services, both technical and administrative requirements; (3) Officials in the respective units must be responsible for providing services; (4) Costs or service fees must be detailed, including the payment procedures; (5) Service completion time should be systematically scheduled; (6) Transparency, meaning that public services should have procedures and requirements for each unit or responsible officials providing the services, timeframes for completing public services, detailed fee breakdowns, and other relevant information related to the service process, which should be openly communicated to service recipients, easily accessible and known to the public, whether requested or not. Efficiency, meaning that; (a) Requirements or criteria for public services are limited to achieving service targets, considering the integration between criteria and requirements with the service products; (b) Preventing duplication of criteria and requirements in the service process from one agency to the public, with criteria and requirements in other related government agencies or units involved in the service; (7) Timeliness, meaning that service delivery to the public must be completed in a timely manner; (8) Responsiveness, meaning that service providers must be more responsive and quick in addressing the core issues, needs, and aspirations of service recipients; (9) Adaptability, meaning that services to the public are delivered quickly and tailored to the demands, desires, and aspirations of service recipients, which often undergo changes.
Efforts to provide public satisfaction, as generally undertaken to create public satisfaction [4], involve determining the types of public services provided, treating service users as customers, striving to satisfy service users according to their desires, and finding the best and quality service delivery methods. These efforts stem from the issue of public satisfaction with what is provided by the public administrator, in this case, the government itself, in line with what the public expects, meaning how much the public expects to receive what they ultimately receive [5]. New Public Service (NPS)
The concept of New Public Service (NPS), introduced in "The New Public Service: Serving, not Steering" (2003), aims to respond to the current mainstream administrative paradigm, which is the New Public Management concept that emphasizes "running government like a business" or "market as a solution to the ills in the public sector" [1].
In the view of The New Public Service, the idea of citizens as customers often creates conflicts in both practical and academic realms. For example, foreign policy and environmental protection policies cannot be connected to individual customers because all individuals in society receive those services, regardless of whether they want them or not.
The government should provide public services in the form of New Public Service (NPS) that is not operated like a business but rather delivered democratically, fairly, equitably, non-discriminatory, honest, and accountable [1]. This paradigm prioritizes; (1) Public interest as the main foundation in the process of governance as a manifestation of democratic values; (2) Based on these democratic
values, it will provide motivation for bureaucrats/government employees to serve the public more fairly, equitably, honestly, and responsibly.
The New Public Service (NPS) paradigm and concept are implemented to manage the administration in government institutions differently from private/business organizations. The dynamics of public administration are directed towards a democratic government [6]. The mission of public organizations is not only to satisfy service users (customers) but also to provide goods and services as fulfillment of public rights and obligations [7]. In the concept of New Public Service (NPS), citizens or users of public services are not only satisfied customers but the government also strives to ensure that citizens' rights to receive public services are fulfilled. The New Public Service (NPS) emphasizes the importance of involving multiple actors in public affairs. The principles of New Public Service (NPS) are as follows [1]: Serve Citizens, Not Customers
The New Public Service (NPS) regards the public as "citizens" who have equal public rights and obligations, rather than simply as customers based on their ability to buy or pay for products or services. Citizens are recipients and users of public services provided by the government and are also subjects of various public obligations, such as complying with laws and regulations, paying taxes, defending the country, and so on. Seeks the Public Interest
The New Public Service recognizes that public administrators are not the main actors in determining what constitutes the public interest. Public administrators play a crucial role within a broader governance system that includes citizens, interest groups, representatives, and other institutions.Value Citizenship over Entrepreneurship
The NPS believes that citizen participation in the administrative and governmental processes is more important than governance driven by entrepreneurial spirit. The NPS argues that the public interest is better formulated and developed by government officials together with citizens who are committed to making meaningful contributions to collective life, rather than by entrepreneurial managers who act as if public money and wealth belong to them. Think Strategically, Act Democratically
The main idea of this principle is that policies and programs to address public needs can be effective and responsive when managed through collective efforts and collaborative processes. This principle is related to how public administration implements public policies as a manifestation of public interest.
Recognize that accountability is not Simple
Public servants should not only prioritize market interests but also adhere to the constitution, laws, societal values, political values, professional standards, and citizens' interests. According to the New Public Service, efficiency, effectiveness, and customer satisfaction are important, but public administration must also be accountable in terms of ethics, democratic principles, and public interest. Serve Rather than Steer
Public servants are expected to practice leadership based on the values of togetherness in assisting citizens in articulating and fulfilling common interests, rather than merely controlling or directing the public. Leadership in the New Public Service focuses on human energy for the benefit of humanity. METHODS
This research uses a qualitative research method that focuses on the aspects of policy and public service. The qualitative research method is employed to collect representative and relevant data and provide a detailed description of the implementation of the New Public Service (NPS) principles proposed by V. Dernhart and Dernhart in the field of Population Administration Services in Tangerang Regency [1].
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The research findings indicate that the six principles of New Public Service (NPS) in the field of Population Administration Services in Tangerang Regency, as proposed can be outlined as follows [1]: Serve Citizens, Not Customers
The New Public Service (NPS) views the public as citizens with rights and obligations within a broader community. The existence of coercion in complying with public obligations makes the relationship between the state and the public non-voluntary. Therefore, public servants should not only be responsive to customers but also focus on fulfilling public rights and building trust and collaboration with citizens [8]. Providing good population administration services will build public trust in the government.
Seeks the Public Interest
The New Public Service argues that bureaucrats are not the primary policy-making actors who determine public interests, but rather the citizens themselves are the main actors in the governance system. Government officials play a supportive role in helping citizens articulate public interests [9]. Various arguments influence the role and responsibilities of public administration, which should not only be oriented towards achieving economic goals but also uphold values that manifest public interests, such as honesty, justice, and humanity. In the provision of government services, particularly in population administration services to the public, the primary priority for the government is to ensure that every individual can fulfill all their administrative needs related to population.
Value Citizenship over Entrepreneurship
The implication of this principle lies in the role of the government and its relationship with the community. In the past, the government had more control over the community in terms of regulation, service provision, rule-setting, and incentives. However, the complexity of modern society requires a shift in the government's role from control to agenda-setting, mediation, and negotiation to achieve solutions to public problems by involving coalitions of government bodies, private entities, and nonprofit organizations. Therefore, public servants should not only possess management control skills but also negotiation skills and conflict resolution expertise. Think Strategically, Act Democratically
The primary focus of implementing the New Public Service is community engagement and community building. Community involvement is seen as an essential part of policy implementation within a democratic system [10]. This involvement encompasses the entire process of policy formulation and implementation. Through this process, citizens feel engaged in the governance process, not merely demanding the government to satisfy their specific interests, particularly in the context of population administration service delivery. Public service personnel should have the motivation to serve the community wholeheartedly, resulting in high consistency and strong commitment as public servants who embrace humanistic ideals and ideas of human-centric organizations [11]. This serves as the basis for prioritizing the application of humanitarian principles while also considering democratization for successful service delivery.
Public service personnel must have the motivation to serve the community wholeheartedly, thereby creating a high consistency and strong commitment to employees as public service apparatus who have ideas and ideas of a humanism organization (community/humane-based institution) which is a form of their calling as the basis that public institutions must prioritize the application of humanitarian principles without neglecting democratization for the success of their services.
Recognize that accountability is not Simple
Public administrators are not entrepreneurs accountable only for their own businesses, where the consequences or failures resulting from their decisions are borne solely by them. The risk of failure in the implementation of public policies is borne by the entire community. When policies related to population administration services are not implemented effectively, the most affected party is the public. Therefore, every government official involved in providing population administration services must have a high level of accountability in fulfilling their duties.
Accountability in public service takes various aspects into consideration. Therefore, the provision of services to citizens should not be solely market-oriented or treating citizens as mere customers. Instead, public servants should maintain a sense of responsibility based on regulations, morality, and ethics derived from social values and political norms. Thus, social values play a vital role in the execution of public services.
Serve Rather than Steer
Leadership in the New Public Service is characterized by shared leadership, where control is not centralized in the hands of superiors but involves multiple individuals and groups. The position of leaders is not that of owners but of public servants or servants of the community. Therefore, the performance of employees is not solely based on economic parameters but also on values such as honesty, equality, responsiveness, and empowerment. The entire public service workforce, from leaders to administrative staff in population administration services, contributes to determining public satisfaction.
The application of the New Public Service in this context considers the community as citizens with equal rights and obligations. Citizens are not merely customers but recipients and users of public services provided by the government. They are also subjects responsible for complying with legal regulations, specifically in the proper use of population documents, not using documents in a way that harms others, and fulfilling the necessary document requirements for population administration. Although the implementation of the New Public Service has its shortcomings in terms of public service and the necessary infrastructure to maximize population administration services, it is evident that public servants have a significant overall influence. If the public perceives that public servants or bureaucrats do not provide satisfactory service, it will have a considerable impact on individuals, communities, and institutions as citizens.
Based on the above description, the New Public Service brings about significant changes in public administration, particularly in population administration services provided to the community. These changes are seen in the community's perspective on the governance process, increased participation in governance processes, and the ability to accommodate public interests. The actions taken by public administrators to fulfill public interests are essential. Community participation is a crucial pillar in the New Public Service's perspective on local government administration to meet public administration needs. Therefore, the principles of the New Public Service (NPS) should be applied in population administration services to ensure the satisfaction of the community through the provision of high-quality services.
REFERENCES
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