Judging From The PNS Mass Early Pension Discourse, This Is The Clarification Of KemenPAN-RB

Illustration of Civil Servants (Photo from Antara)

The issue of the mass early retirement plan of the state civil apparatus (ASN) has shocked civil servants and PPPK. This program is even rumored to have been included in one article in the Draft Law on Amendments to Law Number 5 of 2014 concerning ASN.

The revision of the law has been included in the 2023 National Legislation Program (Prolegnas). Furthermore, the House of Representatives (DPR) explained that the early retirement program could be implemented if the government had an organizational downsizing plan.

The Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform (MenPANRB), Abdullah Azwar Anas, firmly denied the issue of the ASN early retirement program. Azwar revealed that the program was not included in the bill.

"So actually it's not in the revision of the ASN Law, there's no early retirement issue," said Azwar Anas after the Presidential Decree Meeting (RTM) on Strengthening Development Assistance at the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture Office, Jakarta (27/12).

Furthermore, Azwar Anas explained that there were indeed many scenario proposals related to ASN management. Early retirement is included in one of the proposals he received. The early retirement proposal relates to the existence of productive ASN and vice versa.

However, the government cannot dismiss ASN easily or without careful consideration. In this case, it is different from the private sector which can offer the concept of early retirement by giving severance pay.

"This is still an idea from many people, so there is no revision of the ASN Law yet. That's roughly the case," said Azwar Anas.

Aba Subagja as Assistant Deputy for the Design of Positions, Planning, and Procurement of Apparatus HR KemenPANRB said that the ASN early retirement rules actually already existed.

The ASN early retirement rules are written in PP Number 11 of 2017 concerning ASN management. However, this early retirement program has no regulatory provisions. Aba explained that civil servants can apply for early retirement due to organizational arrangement or have met the requirements imposed in the PP.

Early retirement in the context of organizational structuring is allowed for civil servants who have undergone 10 years of service. Meanwhile, if early retirement is proposed independently, civil servants must meet the requirements in PP 11/2017. One of the conditions is that they are at least 50 years old with a term of 20 years of service.

Aba said that performance achievements were an important element in the assessment of ASN. ASNs who cannot fulfill their work achievements have the potential to be dismissed as state servants.

If ASN has not fulfilled performance achievements several times, it will be subject to disciplinary punishment. Then if you are still stubborn or repeat it, you will receive the most severe sanctions, namely dismissal.

"So, the current civil servants who are punished are not the only ones who are naughty. They are diligent but do not perform well and are also punished in PermenPANRB number 6/2022," said Aba.

Getting questions about data collection on the number of ASN, Aba explained that the program was carried out to find out the development of honorary workers in ministries/agencies. Currently, it is known that the number of ASN reaches around 2.3 million. Non-ASN personnel who have the potential are encouraged to register as ASN through the official recruitment process.

In addition, data collection is also useful to find out the shortcomings of the organization or ASN there. So the government can develop ASN competencies and other training.

Such is the explanation of the issue of the mass early retirement discourse of civil servants. The news received many responses from various parties. The government is reminded to be careful in making decisions regarding the policy.