JAKARTA – The Revision of the Law (RUU) on State Ministries was discussed at the Level I Working Meeting between the Government and the House of Representatives (DPR).
Minister of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform (PANRB) Abdullah Azwar Anas conveyed the content material as well as the views and opinions of the President of Indonesia regarding the State Ministry Bill.
“On behalf of the President of Indonesia, we would like to express our gratitude and highest appreciation to the House of Representatives for taking the initiative in preparing the State Ministry Bill to be discussed together with the Government,” he said at a Working Meeting with the House of Representatives’ Legislation Committee, in Jakarta, Monday (9/9).
The revision of Law No. 39/2008 on the Ministry of State became a DPR initiative bill. Anas said the discussion of this bill can be carried out in a democratic atmosphere and in accordance with the mechanism for discussing the bill as stipulated in the legislation.
He revealed that the Government has compiled and discussed the Problem Inventory List (DIM) of the State Ministry Bill.
“The DIM of the State Ministry Bill consists of 30 DIM with details of 23 fixed DIM, 4 DIM with changes in substance, and 3 DIM with editorial changes,” he explained.
The government noted two main substance changes to the State Ministry Law. First, the deletion of the explanation of Article 10 which regulates deputy ministers. This is also a follow-up to the decision of the Constitutional Court.
Second, changes to Article 15 which regulates the limit on the number of ministries. The maximum number of ministries is 34, changed according to the needs of the President by taking into account the effectiveness of government administration.
Anas said the Law on State Ministries actually aims to build an effective and efficient government system.
In the implementation of government affairs, it does not always mean that one affair is carried out by one ministry. On the contrary, one ministry can carry out more than one affair in accordance with the tasks assigned by the President.
Therefore, the reconstruction of governance, one of which is through the Revision of the State Ministry Law, is an effort to encourage a government that is more inclusive, transparent, contextual, and responsive to the needs of the community.
“The spirit of the changes in the State Ministry Law is certainly to strengthen coordination and collaboration between ministries/ institutions in the success of national development,” he explained.
Anas said that in principle, the formation of ministries is aligned with the strategy to achieve the President’s vision and mission during his administration.
The government agrees that by regulation, the formation of ministries is the prerogative of the President, which certainly adjusts the needs of the President in achieving his vision and mission by taking into account the effectiveness of governance.
The achievement of the vision-mission has certainly considered the national development agenda and the dynamics of global challenges.
Thus, it is necessary to add an explanation to Article 15 of the State Ministry Bill, namely the need for governance by the President to pay attention to the harmony of government affairs between ministries and consider the provisions of Article 12, Article 13, and Article 14 of Law No. 39/2008 on the Ministry of State.
Anas added that, in line with President Jokowi’s directives, the Government continues to strengthen governance and effective business processes through coordination and collaboration between ministries and institutions.
“Currently, the government is focusing on how governance can run well and have an impact on the people. The point is that the impact can be felt by the people, as President Jokowi has repeatedly said,” he concluded.
Present at the working meeting were Minister of Law and Human Rights Supratman Andi Agtas; Chairman of the Legislative Body of the House of Representatives Wihadi Wiyanto; representatives from the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs; Ministry of Finance; and members of the Legislative Body of the House of Representatives.
