ASN Can Increase Rank 6 Times A Year, Don't Forget The Fate Of Honorary Employees

Illustration of civil servants (ANTARA-HO-Humas Bandung City Government)

JAKARTA - Parliament highlighted the policy of the Ministry of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform (KemenPAN RB) regarding promotions 6 times a year for State Civil Apparatus (ASN). The government should not forget to think about the fate of honorary employees.

"For those who get promotions, it is clear as an appreciation for their performance. But don't forget that the Government still has homework in maximizing the status of honorary staff appointed as PPPK or ASN," said Member of Commission II DPR RI, Mardani Ali Sera, Monday, July 17.

The policy regarding the promotion of ASN 6 times a year will be contained in the Regulation of the Minister of PAN RB Number 1 of 2023 concerning Functional Positions. In addition, the regulation will also be included in the revision of Law Number 5 of 2014 concerning State Civil Apparatus.

Mardani reminded that there are still many unclear fates of honorary employees who are promised to be appointed as Government Employees with Work Agreements (PPPK) or ASN. He considered that it would be better for KemenPAN-RB to focus on this problem rather than prioritizing promotion 6 times for ASN, which was previously only 2 times a year.

"Many honorary employees are waiting for the realization of their promise to increase their status. This should be prioritized, because ASN already has clarity on status," said Mardani.

Mardani said that the process of selecting honorary employees to PPPK and ASN was an important point for improving welfare and recognition for honorary workers in Indonesia.

"We understand the good intentions of the Government for ASN. But don't let it underestimate the needs of honorary workers because employees who are now honorary can actually have higher capabilities and commitments than some who have become permanent employees," he explained.

Mardani highlighted that there were thousands of PPPK ASN selection participants, technical personnel in 2022, who died in mass, leaving large empty formations. On the other hand, there are large needs in various ministries/agencies.

Based on data from the Indonesian Technical Energy Association (PTTI), around 3,000 people who tried to participate in the PPPK ASN selection were declared dead. Meanwhile, there are 6,000 more people who are still constrained by data management. These technical personnel include archivals, community relations institutions, computer infrastructure, policy analysts, and planning analysts.

"It is very concerning if you see that thousands of technical personnel do not pass the selection. This is what the government must find a solution for, so that there is no vacancy in every ministry or institution," said Mardani.

The technical personnel who failed in the selection were constrained by the Passing Grade (PG) rules. In fact, only 13 percent of technical personnel passed the regulation. Therefore, Mardani encouraged the change in the rules from PG to a working period as a condition for passing the selection.

"This must get special attention from Menpan RB, to immediately take and issue policies that accommodate and pass these technical personnel to become PPPK," said the legislator from the DKI Jakarta I electoral district.

"The problem with PG is an obstacle for technical personnel, it would be nice if you took a humanist step by considering the service period of work as a rule for passing the selection. Because in terms of skills so far they are qualified," he continued.

Commission II of the House of Representatives in charge of State Apparatus affairs and Bureaucratic Reform noted that the number of honorariums in the field of technical personnel is very large in Indonesia. In fact, it is found in all institutions and ministries up to the local government level.

"If it is said that the number of honorary technical personnel is not much, it is very wrong. Because almost every ministry, institution, and even in SKPD (Regional Apparatus Work Unit) also exist. So it should not be taken lightly by these technical personnel," said Mardani.

He added that Commission II of the DPR will seriously oversee the Government's commitment to appointing honorary employees to become PPPK or ASN. Mardani also reminded that the policy of promotion to rank 6 times a year for ASN when many honorary employees whose fate is not yet clear will create a negative perception in society, especially since recently there have been many problems involving ASN.

"Don't create a perception that it is very easy for people to take up positions. So an increase in positions is a form of appreciation that must be accompanied by quality and professionalism," he said.

Therefore, Mardani asked the KemenPAN-RB to strengthen supervision and improve the quality of the ASN employee performance evaluation system in line with the implementation of promotions 6 times per year starting in 2023.

"The DPR RI will oversee the implementation of this policy and will ask the Government to re-evaluate the implementation of this promotion policy if it does not significantly improve service performance to the community," explained Mardani.

The assessment instrument is said to be important to measure in depth and detail every performance from ASN. In addition, said Mardani, transparency of the results of the assessment is important so that each employee can check their performance.

"If there are things that are enforced unfairly, because what they should have received, instead they will be given to other people, there will be demotivation. This means that the promotion policy will be ineffective," he concluded.