POLITIC AND NEUTRALITY OF BUREAUCRACY

POLITIC AND NEUTRALITY OF BUREAUCRACY
(A Study Of Analysis Towards Out Influence Of Ethnicity In Pointing Out Structural Positions Of
Echelon II Of Local Goverment After Sintang Regional Leader Election 2010)

Haunan Fachry Rohilie,S.IP,MA

ABSTRACTION

This study leads to see the influence of ethnicity in pointing out structural positions of
Echelon II after Sintang regency leader election 2010. The play of politic of Dayak ethnic in
struggle to get political and bureaucratic positions in Sintang created unfair (unhealthy)
interaction between Dayak ethnic and other ethnics in Sintang. The rise of politic of Dayak
ethnic made the influence of ethnicity extremely strong in pointing out positions of Eshelon II in
Sintang local government bureaucracy after Sintang regency leader election 2010, particularly by
the formers of Dayak ethnic.
The work of politic of Dayak ethnic in regency leader election affected the model of
endorsement that fragmented on behalf of the similarity on identity, including religious identity
and particularly ethnic similarity. Thus contention amongst ethnics, especially which involved
Dayak ethnic and comers’ ethnic was logical consequence. Ethnic influence in local politics also
spread to bureaucrats who couldn’t stay neutral, even politicians seemed more interesting to put
them into its political machine. This circumstance showed that there were many interests of each

politician in regency leader election, either for politicians to win the struggle in political arena or
bureaucrats to get higher rank in positions.
As the result of direct regency leader election and elected Dayak formers as new Bupati
and Wakil Bupati, affected to point out positions of Echelon II in Sintang regency. As we know,
the recruitment of bureaucrats would be dominated by formers of Dayak ethnic and “putting
away” other ethnics. Functionary appointment was based on ethnic similarity and close
relationship between loyal bureaucrats and politicians. Meritocracy system that gave priority to
the performance of politician itself, no longer become prime reference to appoint high rank
officers of Echelon II. Pointing out for structural positions in Sintang after regency leader
election was full of Bupati intervention and his success team during campaign, especially by
bureaucrats. Then the functionary appointment of Echelon II in Sintang after regency leader
election 2010, either in terms of the shift or mutation in public office put ethnicity (Dayak) as the
main consideration, especially for strategic positions.
Key words: Politic of ethnicity, politic and neutrality of bureaucracy, and politicization of
position.

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INTRODUCTION
This thesis tries to see how the influence offethnicity works in appointing structural

position of Echelon II over local bureaucracy in Sintang after regency leader election 2010. This
assumption built by the resurgence of politic of Dayak ethnic in West Kalimantan. At the same
time, this study will provide description to readers about the work of general ethnic configuration
over local bureaucracy after regency leader election 2010.
Ethnic diversity in Sintang created domination by one major ethnic over other ethnics. It
was not surprising if ethnic discourses went around regency leader election as interesting daily
politic conversation. That’s why all ethnics in Sintang had their own ways to win their
candidates. High, middle and low rank officers in bureaucracy, who should stay neutral in
election, in fact showed their preferences to a certain preferable candidate. Considering the fact
that some of them took a part into success team during regency leader election campaign in
Sintang 2010.
Whatever political tendency they did, it implied to their hopes on favorite candidate’s
winning in regency leader election. There must be other political tendency related to their current
positions in bureaucracy, either to hold their current position on or to get promotion on higher
rank and more strategic position. The victory of Dayak candidate in regency leader election 2010
implied towards the structure of Sintang local government. Especially in positions of Echelon II,
in which more than 53% of number of high rank officers of Echelon II came from dominated
Dayak ethnic.
This academic aim is to see how the resurgence of politic of Dayak ethnic in Sintang
regency affected political “atmosphere” in Sintang. In one time, it also mapped ethnic

configuration in Sintang regency after regency leader election 2010. Sideline aim goes along of

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how the influence of ethnicity in pointing out positions of Echelon II over Sintang local
government after direct regency leader election 2010.

Theoretical approach
In earlier, ethnicity were looked as a characteristic that identifying person or group to a
certain identity. In politic, ethnicity always attracted enormous attention, especially its role in
developing collective consciousness discourse, ethnic, until the level of nation or nation-state.
Ethnicity had become adhered predicate towards identity of certain person or group. That
predicate had been understood as something taken for granted since its originate.
The emergence of ethnical politic was triggered by the emergence of consciousness that
identifying those into a certain group of person. Then this consciousness elaborated group
solidarity or nationality. In contemporary political discourse, a group of ethnicity was suitable in
search for the acceptance of a certain group, admission of their existence and their progress.
Bureaucracy concept of Weber was more popular by way of ideal type of bureaucracy, this
type tried to explain on how bureaucracy or administration had its firm and steady shape where
all functions illustrating rational ways and forms. Bureaucracy was looked form of such

organization efficient, predictable, and affordable in nonpartisan service. Efficiency guarantee
offered by Weber was realistic if all principles of bureaucracy were developed based on aim goal
rationality.
In earlier emergence of bureaucracy conception, neutrality of bureaucracy had been
discussing by experts. According to Weber, governmental bureaucracy had function to
implement public policy, thus bureaucracy must be out of control of politic (in terms of study
and practice). It meant that bureaucracy was merely policy implementer. It might not allowed
entering into political decision making arena, moreover “fighting” for political position.
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The Political Uses Of Bureaucracy explained how the dynamic and pattern of relation

between regime and bureaucracy. Regime’s (political) tendency constantly used his power and
take advantages on bureaucracy based on 4 reasons. First, bureaucracy was used as the source of
patronage spreader agent. Second, bureaucracy was used to the source of patronage and benefits
to other politicians who supported incumbent’s needs as executive leader.
Third, bureaucracy precisely took position as the source of networking members of various

political organizations that were loyal to executive leader. Fourth, exploiting the advantages of
bureaucratic position exactly used as instrument of actors to implement policies that gave

advantages to interest groups inside society.
Functionary recruitment was more known as activities that appointed person, such as
employees who had reached minimal requisite administratively, or current officers in new
positions who were appropriate with capability, principles of seniority, and other applicable
provisions. Weber itself said that in a bureaucracy system must be there labor division,
hierarchy, written procedures, impersonality and meritocracy. Labor division and meritocracy
were necessary needed to make bureaucracy worked efficiently. Meritocracy could be seen as
standard to appoint officers in bureaucracy.

Direct Regency Leader Election and the Resurgence of Ethnic Politic
Since the regime of New Orde, Soeharto, comer’s ethnic was always dominated
Indonesia’s political, governmental and economic affairs in Sintang regency. The existence of
Dayak ethnic as indigenous people in Sintang had ever shoved aside by comer’s ethnic such as
transmigrant from Java and Melayu ethnic. Marginalization occurred by Dayak ethnic had
caused the existence of Dayak ethnic more marginalized and they chose to live in the middle of
forest. Those were caused they were out of political, governmental and economic access.
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But their lives had been changing since the fall of New Orde, and nowadays going to
democratic era. Since that period, Dayak ethnic just about showed off who they were, got active

to sue fairness and equality. Dayak ethnic turned to seek their lost rights during New Orde
regime. One of manifestation of applying democracy in Sintang is direct regency leader election
for Gubernur , Bupati and Walikota.
Gubernur election 2007 was the important step to manifest the resurgence of Dayak

etnhnic in West Kalimantan. At that election, Cornelis, former of Dayak ethnic elected as West
Kalimantan Gubernur for period 2007-2012. On that rare momentum, Cornelis had a chance to
point out other Dayak formers to lead regencies in West Kalimantan.
The same case occurred in Sintang regency leader election 2010. Dayak ethnic represented
by candidate Milton Crosby and Ignatius Juan as new Bupati and Wakil Bupati for period 20102015. Their victory made Dayak ethnic possible to dominate in Sintang, not only Bupati and
Wakil Bupati, but also People Representations (DPRD), especially dominated by Dayak ethnic in

structural positions of Echelon II of Sintang regency, dominationin terms of number and also
strategic posts.

Politicization of Bureaucracy Based on Ethnicity in Sintang Direct Regency Leader
Election 2010
Bupati and Wakil Bupati election in Sintang 2010 created an open “battle” amongst ethnics

in Sintang regency. Then the pattern (model) of endorsement and election of Bupati and Wakil

Bupati 2010 was based on the similarity on identity, either religious identity or even ethnic

similarity. Regency leader election was no longer by means of candidate’s performance, vision
and mission, but considering what ethnic you came from.

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The rise of politic of Dayak ethnic in Sintang was at regency leader election in 2010. Their
victory were not surely apart of controversy and dishonest tactics. In some electoral regencies,
Dayak ethnic surely threaten and intimidated people of Java ethnic to choose Milton and Juan.
Even the bureaucrats won’t be neutral towards the dynamics along campaign; they actively
endeavored to win a certain candidate. Many of them took a part in success team for particular
candidate.
Sintang regency leader election 2010 was one of proofs that that must be always there
political deal between bureaucrats and politicians. Politicians want a win in election, and hold the
highest power, meanwhile bureaucrats need political “repayment” for supports to regime during
campaign, especially the need of strategic positions in bureaucracy. That was a paradoxical
moment when the bureaucrats should stay neutral in regency election but they actively
endeavored into candidates’ political machine. In another word, as long as politicians set
bureaucrats as their political machines, it means that bureaucrats will not be able to be neutral.

Out of understanding whether they did it voluntarily or by pressure, that condition would be keep
consisting.

The Influence of Ethnicity in Promotion and Rotation of Structural Positions of Echelon II
after Direct Regency Leader Election 2010.
In this section, writer will explain how placement of Echelon II in Sintang regency after
regency leader election 2010 particularly considered ethnicity in recruitment, and was no longer
based on work performances. Politicization of bureaucracy by Dayak ethnic domination in
Sintang were not apart of their roles in winning candidate Milton and Juan as new Bupati and
Wakil Bupati. It wasn’t wondering if promotion and rotation of Echelon II was beneficial and

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dominated by high rank officers from Dayak ethnic, who were loyalist and ever had taken a part
in success team.
The question of what made Dayak ethnics so easy to have positions in Echelon II could be
traced of intervention and control towards team created Baperjakat. The low performance of
Baperjakat penyaring team in selection officers to have prestigious positions also caused the low
performance of them in public service. Politicization of bureaucracy of Echelon II in Sintang
after regency leader election 2010 showed domination by Dayak ethnic, almost all of strategic

positions of Echelon II placed by Dayak ethnic.
Graphic of number of Echelon II based on ethnicity from 2010-2014.
18
17

16
15

14
12

12

12

10

10

10


Batak

7

7

7
6

4
2
0

Dayak

9

8
6


15

1
0
2010

1
0
2011

2
1
2012

7

Jawa
Melayu

4
3

4
3

1

1

2013

NTT

2014

Promotion in nowadays looks put political approach as main consideration rather than
achievement and performance of high rank officers. High rank officer placement which is not
compatible with his performance and also competence will affect towards public service and
professionalism. As implication of relationship between Bupati and high rank officer in
structural bureaucracy towards regency development and the organizer of government induced
recruitment, promotion and mutation in bureaucratic positions are no more as tool to boost
performance, but as the way of political interest “repayment” or economic transaction. This bad
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thing creates askriptif

bureaucracy marked extremely favoritism in relationship of both.

Appointed high rank officers will only work for his personal interest or his collectivity, and
ignore his natural role as public servant.
Appointment policy in structural positions of Echelon II in Sintang regency in which is
based on ethnic similarity and success team “repayment” during regency leader election
campaign will affect neutrality of state apparatus onwards. Especially for state apparatus who
want instantly get prestigious and strategic positions without the need of boosting their
professionalisms and performances.
Not only that, officers of Echelon II who had been got strategic positions in office also had
a chance not to be neutral, in spite of they had good and qualified work performance. It’s caused
by their will to maintain present positions is always bigger than the will of other officers to get
more strategic positions. Therefore officers of Echelon II are not able to prevent themselves of
being not neutral in regency leader election.

Conclusion
By seeing the dynamics of appointment of structural positions of Echelon II in Sintang
after regency leader election 2010, that showed in appointment structural positions of Echelon II
in Sintang regency was really dependable on similarity on ethnicity, including Dayak ethnic as
the winner in that election.
Elected candidate Milton and Juan (Dayak-Dayak) in direct regency leader election 2010
implied to the rise of number of high rank officers from Dayak ethnic in Echelon II in Sintang
local government structure. It’s not surprising if since 2010 to 2014 the number of high rank
officers of Echelon II has been boosting and dominating strategic positions of Echelon II.
Therefore more than 53% of Echelon II positions dominated by Dayak ethnic and 9 strategic
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positions inside controlled by formers of Dayak ethnic. High rank officers recruitment are no
longer based on their capacity and capability. Meritocracy system have left away, recruitment
dominantly puts the similarity on identity and bureaucrats’ merit in winning elected Bupati and
Wakil Bupati at previous election as consideration.

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