UNS — Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta hosts the Public Assessment for Information Disclosure Central Java Province 2021 on 23-24 November 2021. This assessment evaluates the management of information disclosure from each district/municipality, institution, and public agency in Central Java Province. The first day of assessment was attended by the Mayor of Surakarta, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Karanganyar District Regent Juliyatmono, Kudus District Regent H. M Hartopo, and Batang District Regent Wihaji.
The visit from local governments in Central Java Province was welcomed by the Vice-Rector for Planning, Partnership, Business, and Information Affairs UNS Prof. Sajidan, Dean of FISIP UNS Prof. Ismi Dwi Astuti Nurhaeni, and the Head of Master Program in Communication Science Postgraduate School UNS Dr. Andre N. Rahmanto.
In his opening remark before opening the assessment, Prof. Sajidan stated that information disclosure in the reformation era is a need and responsibility for state administrators because people want to be involved in every policy-making process and demand accountable and transparent government according to the good governance principles.
“Moreover, the modernization of Information Technology and communication that provides freedom for people to get any information they want easily and rapidly,” he stated.
Therefore, Prof. Sajidan considers that government, institutes, and public agencies need to open themselves to the community and provide information surrounding their policies openly and accessible for people. Although, on the one hand, information openness is often abused for certain interests, Prof. Sajidan stated that technology modernization should be used as a momentum for the government to take strategic policies.
“This mandate encourages all public agencies in Indonesia, including public universities, to apply public information disclosure. This is an implementation of Law No. 14/ 2008 on Public Information Disclosure,” Prof. Sajidan explained.
The Commissioner of Provincial Information Commission (KIP) of Central Java Province, Ermy Sri Ardhyanti, explained in her speech that the assessment was held to provide a transparent perspective on public information for the community. In the two-days assessment, 15 districts/municipalities, 14 public hospitals at district/municipality and province/central region, and 29 provincial units at Central Java Province will be examined. KIP of Central Java will assess and classify the local government or public agencies into informative, moving to informative, quite informative, lack of informativeness, and not informative. Ermy Sri Ardhyanti mentioned that this public assessment had been held since 2014, and she hoped that this assessment could improve information transparency management by all local governments and public agencies in Central Java Province.
“Fifty-eight public agencies have passed the selection process wince May 2021. Including website check and social media managed (by the agencies). This public assessment is the fourth stage, and those who participate in this assessment are public agencies with a score higher than 80,” Ermy explained. Humas UNS
Reporter: Y. C. A. Sanjaya
Editor: Dwi Hastuti