A number of residents process various documents at Sukodono village office in Sukodono district, Sidoarjo regency, East Java, Monday (20/3). Sukodono is one of 19 villages in Sukodono district which is implement public service innovation launched under the acronym of BWM (self-service document processing).
The spirit of innovation in public services in Sidoarjo regency, East Java, has penetrated local villages. In Sukodono district, 19 villages have implemented a computerized document-processing system called BMW (“Berkas Mlaku Dhewe”). Locals in need of arranging official letters need only to come to the village administration office and their needs will be fulfilled by an integrated online system.
It was a clear morning on Monday (20/3/2017) as a number of locals gathered at the Sukodono village office. Most of them were mothers wanting to arrange various official letters, including business certificates (SKU), relief letters (SKTM), identification cards, family cards and land status certificates as a requirement of processing land certificates.
The locals were patiently queuing that morning. Only one service booth was open as many village officials were taking care of the admission selection process for new village officials. Public service providers in Sukodono village office have utilized a computerized system based on information technology.
Despite having to wait, the locals were not irritated. They were relaxed and talking with one another in lines of chairs in the air-conditioned waiting room that had a television. The service room itself was clean, spacious and interesting as the walls were covered with a brown-colored paisley wallpaper.
Siti Sunamah, 52, a village official on duty that day, was visibly busy. She had not moved from in front of her computer since earlier that morning. Despite no longer being young, she was having no trouble in dealing with the IT-based service platform. “Mrs. Tutik Ariyani, please come forward, your files are ready,” Siti said, calling one of the locals.
Tutik was requesting a business certificate for her coffee stall, in order to arrange a bank loan. “Alhamdulillah [praise God], it only took a short while to arrange the certificate, only 15 minutes. The process was speedy and free of charge,” Tutik said.
Efficient
Sukodono village head Hani Iswantoro said that the village has implemented an IT-based public service system called BMW, which is integrated with the Sukodono district administration and 18 other villages in the district. They have a database of population records stored in a local server.
“The BMW system has had a positive impact on improving quality of public service as it can help us issue licenses and other official letters for locals quickly, effectively and efficiently. The system is accessible by all locals,” he said.
Sukodono district chief Ainur Rahman said in his office that the BMW system was initiated by a team from the Sukodono district in 2014 and was implemented in 2015. The name was decided upon as the system helps locals and officials to take care of licenses and other official letters. They do not have to walk between numerous administrative offices while carrying their personal documents with them. The only need to use an application. Only uploads and downloads are involved.
“There are three categories for services. The first covers services that can be processed entirely at the village level. This includes birth certificates, death certificates and requests for identification cards and family cards. The letters are processed at village offices within a day,” Ainur said.
The second category comprises services that are requested at village offices but include an official stamp from the district office, including relief letters, moving letters and event permits. Locals need only to come to the village office to submit the necessary documents, which will be scanned by the village officials and sent to the district office online.
The third category comprises public services that involve a long process, including building permits and job seeker cards. Locals can download the necessary forms on a website to be filled and submitted with other necessary documents either online or in person at the local village office.
If they meet all the requirements, locals will be notified that they can proceed to the next step. Once the entire process is completed, they can pick up the requested official document at the village office by bringing the original required documents. Locals can also use a home delivery service.
The BMW service system implements an electronic signature and stamp system for all documents. In order to ensure the documents’ authenticity, they are equipped with a verified security code. This facilitates supervision on all official letters issued by village and district offices.
Ainur said that the BMW service system has many benefits. It simplifies the process involved in arranging for official documents. The cost is reduced significantly as locals no longer need to go to various administrative offices just to take care of a single document. There is a higher level of public assurance in the system.
Another benefit is that population data is automatically updated as all births, deaths and other changes in population data are automatically recorded in detail in every request for official documents. Middlemen are no longer needed as locals are enthusiastic to arrange the documents on their own.
Cheap
Ainur said that the district office spent between Rp 200 million (US$15,037) and Rp 250 million to build the BMW system. The cost, sourced from the Sidoarjo regency budget, is considered low as the benefit is felt by all locals in 19 villages. The small budget enables the program to be replicated in other regions.
“The challenge is in changing the mindset of village officials so that they can implement an IT-based public service system. To encourage them, we give them a budget to coordinate with the district office,” Ainur said.
He said that he hoped the program would be sustainable. The Sidoarjo regency administration has issued the Regent Regulation No. 91/2016 on BMW development. The plan is to replicate the BMW system in 17 other districts in Sidoarjo regency. The BMW system is seen to have empowered village officials due to a transfer of knowledge that enables a speedy, proper, efficient, effective, transparent and accountable public service.
