The Relationship Between Good Governance and Public Services

Public service is a reflection of the implementation of good governance. A fundamental question is, why is public service so urgent in the implementation of good governance values? Why not other aspects of governance? There are several reasons for this.

First, public service can create a forum for implementing good governance values in a tangible and administratively easy way, such as participation, accountability, transparency, and efficiency. This is more effective in implementing good governance values than other aspects of government activities.

Second, public service contains all the pillars of good governance, namely the government, the private sector, and the public. Public service has a high urgency and is a measure of the good or bad relationship between the pillars of good governance. The realization of good service delivery is an indicator of the government's success in building the legitimacy of power. Reforms from unsatisfactory public services will improve good governance values. Thus, this will be effective in maintaining synergy between the pillars of good governance, including creating public welfare with broad support.

Third, poor public services will certainly be widely felt by the public, which will lead to distrust of the government. Reforms from poor public services will certainly be directly felt by the public. The successful implementation of good governance will generate trust and gain support from the public. So that the public thinks that good governance can become a reality, not just wishful thinking.

Fourth, improving public services can stop the practice of bad governance that has become rampant and a bad culture in government. Many people consider illegal levies (pungli) to be normal and even feel right because services are completed quickly. Tolerance of this bad governance is certainly dangerous for the survival of the nation and state. So this culture of bad governance must be prevented starting from instilling good governance values in public services.

Fifth, improvements in public services are expected to bring about international figures who respond to public service problems. Governance has a broader definition than government. Governance includes all pillars, even market mechanisms. There have been many links between these pillars in public services. Thus, the practice of good governance in public services is actually common and should be done. Developing all pillars of good governance can create proportional redistribution and repositioning that complement each other, which will further develop synergy between pillars. This will certainly create Indonesia's authority on the international stage, so that many international actors are interested in making all kinds of efforts in Indonesia, such as doing business, investing capital and capital markets, and so on.

Sixth, ease in seeing indicators and benchmarks regarding the success of public services based on good governance. This can be seen through high accountability, responsiveness to a problem that occurs, non-discrimination, and efficiency. Ease in assessing the development of public services based on good governance makes it very effective. This will certainly create comfort for the government, which will certainly also create public welfare.