1 POLITIC AND NEUTRALITY OF BUREAUCRACY
(A Study Of Analysis Towards Out Influence Of Ethnicity In Pointing Out Structural Positions Of Echelon II Of Local Goverment After Sintang Regional Leader Election 2010)
Haunan Fachry Rohilie,S.IP,MA
ABSTRACTION
This study leads to see the influence of ethnicity in pointing out structural positions of Echelon II after Sintang regency leader election 2010. The play of politic of Dayak ethnic in struggle to get political and bureaucratic positions in Sintang created unfair (unhealthy) interaction between Dayak ethnic and other ethnics in Sintang. The rise of politic of Dayak ethnic made the influence of ethnicity extremely strong in pointing out positions of Eshelon II in Sintang local government bureaucracy after Sintang regency leader election 2010, particularly by the formers of Dayak ethnic.
The work of politic of Dayak ethnic in regency leader election affected the model of endorsement that fragmented on behalf of the similarity on identity, including religious identity and particularly ethnic similarity. Thus contention amongst ethnics, especially which involved Dayak ethnic and comers’ ethnic was logical consequence. Ethnic influence in local politics also spread to bureaucrats who couldn’t stay neutral, even politicians seemed more interesting to put them into its political machine. This circumstance showed that there were many interests of each politician in regency leader election, either for politicians to win the struggle in political arena or bureaucrats to get higher rank in positions.
As the result of direct regency leader election and elected Dayak formers as new Bupati and Wakil Bupati, affected to point out positions of Echelon II in Sintang regency. As we know, the recruitment of bureaucrats would be dominated by formers of Dayak ethnic and “putting away” other ethnics. Functionary appointment was based on ethnic similarity and close relationship between loyal bureaucrats and politicians. Meritocracy system that gave priority to the performance of politician itself, no longer become prime reference to appoint high rank officers of Echelon II. Pointing out for structural positions in Sintang after regency leader election was full of Bupati intervention and his success team during campaign, especially by bureaucrats. Then the functionary appointment of Echelon II in Sintang after regency leader election 2010, either in terms of the shift or mutation in public office put ethnicity (Dayak) as the main consideration, especially for strategic positions.
2 INTRODUCTION
This thesis tries to see how the influence offethnicity works in appointing structural
position of Echelon II over local bureaucracy in Sintang after regency leader election 2010. This
assumption built by the resurgence of politic of Dayak ethnic in West Kalimantan. At the same
time, this study will provide description to readers about the work of general ethnic configuration
over local bureaucracy after regency leader election 2010.
Ethnic diversity in Sintang created domination by one major ethnic over other ethnics. It
was not surprising if ethnic discourses went around regency leader election as interesting daily
politic conversation. That’s why all ethnics in Sintang had their own ways to win their
candidates. High, middle and low rank officers in bureaucracy, who should stay neutral in
election, in fact showed their preferences to a certain preferable candidate. Considering the fact
that some of them took a part into success team during regency leader election campaign in
Sintang 2010.
Whatever political tendency they did, it implied to their hopes on favorite candidate’s
winning in regency leader election. There must be other political tendency related to their current
positions in bureaucracy, either to hold their current position on or to get promotion on higher
rank and more strategic position. The victory of Dayak candidate in regency leader election 2010
implied towards the structure of Sintang local government. Especially in positions of Echelon II,
in which more than 53% of number of high rank officers of Echelon II came from dominated
Dayak ethnic.
This academic aim is to see how the resurgence of politic of Dayak ethnic in Sintang
regency affected political “atmosphere” in Sintang. In one time, it also mapped ethnic
3 how the influence of ethnicity in pointing out positions of Echelon II over Sintang local
government after direct regency leader election 2010.
Theoretical approach
In earlier, ethnicity were looked as a characteristic that identifying person or group to a
certain identity. In politic, ethnicity always attracted enormous attention, especially its role in
developing collective consciousness discourse, ethnic, until the level of nation or nation-state.
Ethnicity had become adhered predicate towards identity of certain person or group. That
predicate had been understood as something taken for granted since its originate.
The emergence of ethnical politic was triggered by the emergence of consciousness that
identifying those into a certain group of person. Then this consciousness elaborated group
solidarity or nationality. In contemporary political discourse, a group of ethnicity was suitable in
search for the acceptance of a certain group, admission of their existence and their progress.
Bureaucracy concept of Weber was more popular by way of ideal type of bureaucracy, this
type tried to explain on how bureaucracy or administration had its firm and steady shape where
all functions illustrating rational ways and forms. Bureaucracy was looked form of such
organization efficient, predictable, and affordable in nonpartisan service. Efficiency guarantee offered by Weber was realistic if all principles of bureaucracy were developed based on aim goal
rationality.
In earlier emergence of bureaucracy conception, neutrality of bureaucracy had been
discussing by experts. According to Weber, governmental bureaucracy had function to
implement public policy, thus bureaucracy must be out of control of politic (in terms of study
and practice). It meant that bureaucracy was merely policy implementer. It might not allowed
4 The Political Uses Of Bureaucracy explained how the dynamic and pattern of relation between regime and bureaucracy. Regime’s (political) tendency constantly used his power and
take advantages on bureaucracy based on 4 reasons. First, bureaucracy was used as the source of patronage spreader agent. Second, bureaucracy was used to the source of patronage and benefits to other politicians who supported incumbent’s needs as executive leader.
Third, bureaucracy precisely took position as the source of networking members of various political organizations that were loyal to executive leader. Fourth, exploiting the advantages of bureaucratic position exactly used as instrument of actors to implement policies that gave
advantages to interest groups inside society.
Functionary recruitment was more known as activities that appointed person, such as
employees who had reached minimal requisite administratively, or current officers in new
positions who were appropriate with capability, principles of seniority, and other applicable
provisions. Weber itself said that in a bureaucracy system must be there labor division,
hierarchy, written procedures, impersonality and meritocracy. Labor division and meritocracy
were necessary needed to make bureaucracy worked efficiently. Meritocracy could be seen as
standard to appoint officers in bureaucracy.
Direct Regency Leader Election and the Resurgence of Ethnic Politic
Since the regime of New Orde, Soeharto, comer’s ethnic was always dominated
Indonesia’s political, governmental and economic affairs in Sintang regency. The existence of
Dayak ethnic as indigenous people in Sintang had ever shoved aside by comer’s ethnic such as
transmigrant from Java and Melayu ethnic. Marginalization occurred by Dayak ethnic had
caused the existence of Dayak ethnic more marginalized and they chose to live in the middle of
5 But their lives had been changing since the fall of New Orde, and nowadays going to
democratic era. Since that period, Dayak ethnic just about showed off who they were, got active
to sue fairness and equality. Dayak ethnic turned to seek their lost rights during New Orde
regime. One of manifestation of applying democracy in Sintang is direct regency leader election
for Gubernur, Bupati and Walikota.
Gubernur election 2007 was the important step to manifest the resurgence of Dayak etnhnic in West Kalimantan. At that election, Cornelis, former of Dayak ethnic elected as West
Kalimantan Gubernur for period 2007-2012. On that rare momentum, Cornelis had a chance to
point out other Dayak formers to lead regencies in West Kalimantan.
The same case occurred in Sintang regency leader election 2010. Dayak ethnic represented
by candidate Milton Crosby and Ignatius Juan as new Bupati and Wakil Bupati for period 2010-2015. Their victory made Dayak ethnic possible to dominate in Sintang, not only Bupati and Wakil Bupati, but also People Representations (DPRD), especially dominated by Dayak ethnic in structural positions of Echelon II of Sintang regency, dominationin terms of number and also
strategic posts.
Politicization of Bureaucracy Based on Ethnicity in Sintang Direct Regency Leader
Election 2010
Bupati and Wakil Bupati election in Sintang 2010 created an open “battle” amongst ethnics in Sintang regency. Then the pattern (model) of endorsement and election of Bupati and Wakil Bupati 2010 was based on the similarity on identity, either religious identity or even ethnic similarity. Regency leader election was no longer by means of candidate’s performance, vision
6 The rise of politic of Dayak ethnic in Sintang was at regency leader election in 2010. Their
victory were not surely apart of controversy and dishonest tactics. In some electoral regencies,
Dayak ethnic surely threaten and intimidated people of Java ethnic to choose Milton and Juan.
Even the bureaucrats won’t be neutral towards the dynamics along campaign; they actively
endeavored to win a certain candidate. Many of them took a part in success team for particular
candidate.
Sintang regency leader election 2010 was one of proofs that that must be always there
political deal between bureaucrats and politicians. Politicians want a win in election, and hold the
highest power, meanwhile bureaucrats need political “repayment” for supports to regime during
campaign, especially the need of strategic positions in bureaucracy. That was a paradoxical
moment when the bureaucrats should stay neutral in regency election but they actively
endeavored into candidates’ political machine. In another word, as long as politicians set
bureaucrats as their political machines, it means that bureaucrats will not be able to be neutral.
Out of understanding whether they did it voluntarily or by pressure, that condition would be keep
consisting.
The Influence of Ethnicity in Promotion and Rotation of Structural Positions of Echelon II
after Direct Regency Leader Election 2010.
In this section, writer will explain how placement of Echelon II in Sintang regency after
regency leader election 2010 particularly considered ethnicity in recruitment, and was no longer
based on work performances. Politicization of bureaucracy by Dayak ethnic domination in
7 dominated by high rank officers from Dayak ethnic, who were loyalist and ever had taken a part
in success team.
The question of what made Dayak ethnics so easy to have positions in Echelon II could be
traced of intervention and control towards team created Baperjakat. The low performance of Baperjakat penyaring team in selection officers to have prestigious positions also caused the low performance of them in public service. Politicization of bureaucracy of Echelon II in Sintang
after regency leader election 2010 showed domination by Dayak ethnic, almost all of strategic
positions of Echelon II placed by Dayak ethnic.
Graphic of number of Echelon II based on ethnicity from 2010-2014.
Promotion in nowadays looks put political approach as main consideration rather than
achievement and performance of high rank officers. High rank officer placement which is not
compatible with his performance and also competence will affect towards public service and
professionalism. As implication of relationship between Bupati and high rank officer in structural bureaucracy towards regency development and the organizer of government induced
recruitment, promotion and mutation in bureaucratic positions are no more as tool to boost
performance, but as the way of political interest “repayment” or economic transaction. This bad 1 0 2 3 3 10 12 15 15 17 7 7 6 4 4 12 10 7 9 7
0 1 1 1 1
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Batak
Dayak
Jawa
Melayu
8 thing creates askriptif bureaucracy marked extremely favoritism in relationship of both. Appointed high rank officers will only work for his personal interest or his collectivity, and
ignore his natural role as public servant.
Appointment policy in structural positions of Echelon II in Sintang regency in which is
based on ethnic similarity and success team “repayment” during regency leader election
campaign will affect neutrality of state apparatus onwards. Especially for state apparatus who
want instantly get prestigious and strategic positions without the need of boosting their
professionalisms and performances.
Not only that, officers of Echelon II who had been got strategic positions in office also had
a chance not to be neutral, in spite of they had good and qualified work performance. It’s caused
by their will to maintain present positions is always bigger than the will of other officers to get
more strategic positions. Therefore officers of Echelon II are not able to prevent themselves of
being not neutral in regency leader election.
Conclusion
By seeing the dynamics of appointment of structural positions of Echelon II in Sintang
after regency leader election 2010, that showed in appointment structural positions of Echelon II
in Sintang regency was really dependable on similarity on ethnicity, including Dayak ethnic as
the winner in that election.
Elected candidate Milton and Juan (Dayak-Dayak) in direct regency leader election 2010
implied to the rise of number of high rank officers from Dayak ethnic in Echelon II in Sintang
local government structure. It’s not surprising if since 2010 to 2014 the number of high rank
officers of Echelon II has been boosting and dominating strategic positions of Echelon II.
9 positions inside controlled by formers of Dayak ethnic. High rank officers recruitment are no
longer based on their capacity and capability. Meritocracy system have left away, recruitment
