Transparency

Results and Discussion

The leader's commitment in realizing the transparency of public information in Pemalang District can be observed in the activity program in Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Diskominfo). In 2019, Diskominfo had 6 (six) public information transparency programs with reference to the results of the evaluation of program planning in 2018. According to Bennis, Goleman, and O'Toole, openness and transparency can only happen if the leaders apply it persistently. Leaders instill this commitment into organizational communication with stakeholders. Table 1 shows the transparency programs of public information have been implemented in 2019.

Table 1. Transparency Program of Public Information in Pemalang District 2019

Note: 1000 IDR = 0.064 USD

Based on the transparency program of the public information there are objectives that are necessary to achieve. Strategic targets are mentioned in table 2, below.

Table 2. Strategy Target of Public Information Transparency

In the table above the strategic target of the program is related to the rank of Office of Information Management and Documentation (PPID) in Pemalang District. It also integrated the data between the OPD and increased public access to information publicly. Assegaf and Katharina stated that "in fact the right to obtain information was the right that the public has to acquire or access information maintained by the state. Thus, it encourages Governments to develop legislation governing information that is accessible to the public".

According to Assegaf and Katharina, there are 2 (two) public information classification groups such as:

• (1) Public information consisting of
  • (a) public information that must be provided and announced periodically
  • (b) public information that must be announced immediately
  • (c) public information that must be available all the time
• (2) public information that is excluded.

As such, there are multiple outlets that gather and make information available to the public. Office of Information Management and Documentation (PPID) in Pemalang District applies Information Lists and Public Documentation (DIDP). In creating DIDP there are other public agencies involved, as well as the Regional Device Organization (OPD) that is locate in Pemalang District.

However, in DIDP, coordination meeting conducted by Diskominfo is not attended by the public agency originating from the village government or BUMD located in Pemalang District. In the preparation of DIDP, there are four approaches done in accordance with the following guidelines:

1. Checking the list of public information that is categorized as mandatory, periodic, and immediately, and pouring in the provision of public information listings;
2. passive approaches, where the existence of excluded information appears as PPID conducts a consequence test of the public information requested by the applicant;
3. The active approach to which DIDP drafting is conducted involves not only information that is open or information that must be provided and announced, but also includes confidential information where information is excluded;
4. A separate approach in which the DIDP arrangement conducted by the PPID only contains the types of public information that is categorized as open information. The presence of excluded information is organized into a separate list of excluded information lists.

However, DIDP preparation in Pemalang District did not go through according to DIDP guidelines. Therefore, the decision of district Secretary of Pemalang District Number 188.4/34/ in 2018 about the information list and documentation of public government in Pemalang District did not refer to the guidelines for the formation and operation of PPID provincial government and Regency/City. The problem is DIDP preparation in Pemalang District because of the absence of public classification test. Public classification test activities should be done because it is a duty on lack of public knowledge of its rights in KIP ACT. It is contradicted by previous works (Bickers, Hopkins-Burns, Bennett, and Namay, 2015) which found that it was required to be cautious about sharing intergovernmental information, especially regarding income and debt information. It is a major concern the occurrence of information misuse by government agencies, low accuracy of information, and the security of information handling process by government agencies.

Leadership commitment in transparency of public information management is one of the key elements. Leadership is an interpersonal influence in certain situations and can direct the process of communication to achieve one or more specific objectives. In addition, Koontz and O'Donnell stated that leadership is an effort to influence people to participate in achieving common goals. Robbins stated leadership is the ability to influence a group to achieve goals. A leader has a goal to accomplish leadership practices. Moreover, leadership rose from a complex relationship consisting of leaders, led parties, concerned organizations and social values as well as economic and political conditions.

Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Diskominfo) as the primary PPID that has tasks and functions in communication and informatics affairs requires innovative leadership. Based on the work plan of Diskominfo as the primary PPID in communication and informatics affairs must carry out the activities that have been created. In the implementation of transparency of public information, information services are conducted through online media, printed media, radio, television, outdoor media (billboards, banners, posters) and traditional media. Information services through online media were implemented using a specific website [http://ppid.pemalangkab.go.id]. However, there are a number of inactive websites in Pemalang District.

Figure 4. Website Report Condition in Pemalang District

Figure 4, presented above, shows that there were 87% of websites that were not updated and the rest were rarely updated, whereas others become inactive. Leaders' commitment in improving the management of regional device website in Pemalang District is needed. Transparency is an open policy for supervision while the information about every aspect of government policy that can be reached by the public. According to Tahir (2014, pp.123-124)information disclosure was expected to produce healthy, tolerant, and policy political competition based on public preference. Transparency should be balanced with the confidentiality of the Agency and information that may affect the privacy rights of individuals.

At this time, the public complaint on the information in Pemalang District is served through the Regent Hallo application. The application of the Hallo Regent is created by Diskominfo to serve public complaints on the service of information and other services. Data on the results of PPID report showed that in 2018 as many as 191 complaints entered. With the breakdown of complaints as follows: the local device answered 100 complaints and 91 complaints were missed. Figure 5 below illustrates the number of complaints in the application of Hallo Regent in Pemalang District.

Figure 5. Community complaints (total number 191) through Short Message Service in Pemalang District 2018

Figure 5 shows that the number of public complaints on publicly classified information is high. A very high percentage of complaints have not been answered by the primary PPID or PPID helper. It takes leaders' expertise in dealing with issues related to public complaints of the need. People complain through an online SMS media (Hallo regent) or official website of the District. There complains were related to access to information, education field, information security, and infrastructure. This requires attention from the leader in Pemalang District to find a solution to this problem.

Additionally, public complaints come through via SMS, online in Hallo Regent Application and on the complaint website that has been provided by the official portal [https://www.lapor.go.id]. The public complaint on the information service is a major PPID task to complete, by coordinating it with PPID Helper. Every complaint that comes through has to be responded to because it is stipulated in the Standard Operating Procedure. A leader's commitment is needed in responding to each complaint, as it will affect the transparency of public information in Pemalang District.

Leader's commitment in transparency management of public information by primary PPID and its helper aims to ensure community rights to know the plans for public policy development, public policy programs, and decision-making processes. In addition, it also encourages participation, improving the active role of the community in the public policy retrieval process. Establishing good state implementation and improving the management as well as service of information aims to produce quality information services. Therefore, the role of leaders becomes a very important part. Oliver stated that an organization leader is committed to the process of collecting information and its metric system. In addition, the commitment of leadership is demonstrated by the standards held by the top of the leadership in the documentation and communication process and the public information governance metric. Commitments have to be enforced by transparency guidelines and ethical work in a fast and decisive manner.