New Normal and New Order

The "New Normal" that linked to the new life order brought optimism to the transformation of the state governance. But, will the stakeholders want to transform to implement an effective and efficient government?

The New Normal, actually required to obey clean and healthy behavior and minimize face to face interaction in daily life, as well as on running the public administration. In my opinion, this condition makes an opportunity to accelerate to implement governance through ICT (e-government).

All the time, e-government practical in Indonesia is going slow. UN Surveyed about E-Government Development Index (EGDI) in 2018 placing Indonesia on ranking 107. We are still far behind from the other South East Asia e.g  Vietnam (88), Philippines (75), Thailand (73), Brunei Darussalam (59), Malaysia (48), dan Singapore (7).

Human resources and infrastructure become a hurdle that makes us left behind. However amid the pandemic which is not known when will be finished, so We have to adapt quickly. In the context of governance, digitalization becomes a good adaptation to prevent face to face interaction so We can restrain the spread of the virus.

In the middle of COVID-19 outbreaks, virtual spaces emerge, so there is no reason to carry out a meeting in the luxury hotel and organize a conference out of town. This phenomenon actually could save the budget for more important programs.

Previously, we had been prohibited meeting in the hotel but its policy canceled after protest from Hotel businessman (Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association). Currently, it is time to adopt a virtual meeting that can save Our budget. The president has also nothing to fear and no need to clarify such as clarifying the meeting ban at Hotel that planned by Minister of Home Affairs, Tjahjo Kumolo in Early February 2019.

Furthermore, people often infuriated with comparative study or working visits conducted by public officials e.g executive, legislative, and Judiciary. New normal give broad access to public officials to use ICT to obtain success stories about public policy implementation in the other regions. Many secondary data e.g research paper, books, news that can use as a reference for public officials. Moreover, they can hold video conferences or email exchanges with many regions or countries that succeed with certain policies.

Public services in a new normal era can be used as momentum to create effective and efficient services through ICT. Today, e-government practices are limited and tend to be lip service. E-services that do not give a chance to providers and recipients to meet directly could elude rent seeker and make public service equitable.

In the aspect of strengthening democracy, new normal can vast public participation. Social distancing makes the digital instrument tools that effectively to the public to contribute to public policy arrangements. The government could collect many aspirations from the public because there are no limitations in space and time.  So, that government can make match policy with the public needs. On the other side, the public could control governmental administration.

There are still many benefit from a new normal, but it depends on decision-makers' political will. If ICT acceleration considered a threat, then we will not be able to get progress. The biggest possibility is that we will be left behind by neighboring countries.

In My opinion, the main problem to transform state governance is on the elite because the use of ICT to manage the country could be affected the status quo groups that enjoying many benefits so far.