VZCZCXRO5183
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJS #0056/01 1261022
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 051022Z MAY 08
FM AMCONSUL SURABAYA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0208
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 0194
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0109
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHJS/AMCONSUL SURABAYA 0213
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0107

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SURABAYA 000056 
 
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TAGS: PGOV EAID ECON ID
SUBJECT: JAWA POS AWARDS INNOVATION IN PUBLIC SERVICE ACROSS EAST 
JAVA 
 
REF: 07 SURABAYA 89 (VOTERS IGNORE ENDORSEMENTS; POLITICIANS IGNORE PERFORMANCE RANKINGS) 
 
SURABAYA 00000056  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
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¶1. (SBU) Summary: Media giant Jawa Pos Group's Pro Otonomi 
Institute (JPIP) presented its annual awards April 30 to 
regencies and cities throughout East Java which demonstrated 
innovation across public service sectors.  Perennial winners 
Lamongan and Sidoarjo, famous for employing business techniques 
in government programs, were shut out of this year's awards. 
This year's winners represented a new breed of "entrepreneur 
regents," politicians who learned from their business 
counterparts how to innovate and produce results.   JPIP noted 
that winning regents were joined by "entrepreneur bureaucrats," 
local government officials who were emerging as influential 
agents of change.  While JPIP's rankings have proven to be 
reliable indicators of electoral success in the past, public 
service innovations did not translate into voter loyalty in one 
winning regency.  A list of winners follows.  End Summary. 
 
Gala Event to Present Awards 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) At an April 30 gala event, attended by Vice President 
Yusuf Kalla and East Java Governor Imam Utomo, Jawa Pos Group's 
Pro Otonomi Institute (JPIP) presented its annual awards to 
regencies and cities throughout East Java.  The event was 
broadcast live on JTV.   In its annual survey, JPIP compares the 
public service programs of 38 East Java regencies and cities and 
ranks them according to an intricate formula on innovation, 
impact, and results across ten categories.  In its award 
ceremony, JPIP recognizes the most innovative programs in all 
ten categories and two special categories (poverty reduction and 
environmental management).  Three grand prize awards are given 
for breakthroughs in economic development, public service, and 
political performance.  Since its inception seven years ago, 
JPIP's awards have sparked intense competition between regencies 
and served as indicators of public satisfaction. 
 
Encouraging Innovation and Regional Autonomy 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Jawa Pos CEO Dahlan Iskan explained that the objective 
of JPIP's research is to encourage innovation in government 
sectors.  By highlighting the effectiveness of innovation and 
local government initiative, JPIP hopes to encourage greater 
public participation in political life.  JPIP's emphasis on 
regency-level programs is also designed to shift the mindset of 
local residents away from dependence on Jakarta and toward local 
governments to address local priorities.  JPIP intends to expand 
its work beyond East Java with similar rankings and awards in 
Central Java, South Sulawesi, and East Kalimantan. 
 
Expected Winners Shut Out 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) The 2008 awards surprised many observers, who 
anticipated another round of victories for the regents of 
Lamongan and Sidoarjo.  Lamongan was nominated in eight 
categories, but failed to bring home one trophy.  Sidoarjo, 
perhaps battered by perceptions that the regency had failed to 
address sufficiently the impact of the mudflow on local 
residents and businesses, was nominated in just one category. 
Maksum (one name only), Director of JPIP, explained to ConGen 
Surabaya that while the regents of Lamongan and Sidoarjo 
maintained their high level of public service programs, they had 
become "stagnant."  Other regencies, learning from Lamongan's 
and Sidoarjo's example, had stepped up their game and achieved 
significant breakthroughs over the past year. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Maksum added that previous winners had been regents who 
brought business backgrounds and principles to government 
service.  This year's winning regents are politicians who have 
business mindsets -- "entrepreneur regents."  These politicians 
learned from their businessmen colleagues and adopted many of 
the same techniques.  JPIP sees significant progress across the 
political spectrum, as more regents look to innovative business 
solutions to make public service programs successful.  JPIP 
added that winning regents were supported by "entrepreneur 
bureaucrats" -- heads of local government offices who have 
become critical agents for change. 
 
Winning Doesn't Mean Reelection 
----------------------------------------- 
 
 
SURABAYA 00000056  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) If winning or high JPIP rankings translated into 
electoral success, the victories by Pamekasan Regency for 
"Breakthroughs in Public Service" were the most unexpected of 
the evening.  Achmad Syafii, the regent who created the winning 
program in education and two additional programs nominated for 
other awards, had been defeated in a March 2008 regency 
election.  Maksum suggested that Pamekasan voters (as with many 
voters on the conservative island of Madura) were guided by 
their religious leaders to reject Achmad Syafii in favor of Kiai 
Kholilurahman, chairman of the Pamekasan NU.  He surmised that, 
unlike voters in mainland East Java who have ignored 
endorsements by religious and party leaders to reject poor 
performers (reftel), Madurese voters would follow the guidance 
of their clerics before other considerations.  A Pamekasan NGO 
representative added that Achmad Syafii's innovative programs 
may have been overshadowed by a lack of transparency and failure 
to lobby the grassroots successfully. 
 
The Winners 
---------------- 
 
¶7. (U) On May 5, Jawa Pos launched a series of articles 
highlighting the innovative programs which won JPIP's 2008 Pro 
Otonomi Awards.  Post will continue to monitor the long-term 
impact of these programs. 
 
Grand Prize: Breakthrough in Economic Development -- Ponorogo 
Regency 
A program to aggressively develop small and medium sized 
enterprises, which created 16,000 new entrepreneurs in sectors 
ranging from agriculture to trading.  Ponorogo also instituted a 
mass land certificate program which allowed SMEs to use their 
land certificates as bank collateral. 
 
Innovative Breakthrough in Economic Growth -- Ponorogo Regency 
Innovative Breakthrough in Economic Distribution -- Magetan 
Regency 
Capital assistance to women in the informal business sector 
Innovative Breakthrough in Empowering the Local Economy -- 
Blitar City 
Protects SME and retail businesses by limiting development and 
construction of large shopping malls 
 
Grand Prize: Breakthrough in Public Service -- Pamekasan Regency 
A program to establish a transparent student examination system 
and a science education center.  Approximately 120 students 
participated in the center, which is credited with helping 
Pamekasan students win awards at the Science Olympiad in 2007. 
 
Innovative Breakthrough in Health Services -- Pasuruan Regency 
Provides home care and health services 
Innovative Breakthrough in Education Services -- Pamekasan 
Regency 
Innovative Breakthrough in Administrative Services -- Malang City 
Launched reforms in permitting and licensing department 
Innovative Breakthrough in Providing Public Facilities -- 
Tulungagung Regency 
Provides clean water facilities 
 
Grand Prize: Breakthrough in Political Performance -- Lumajang 
Regency 
A program to increase public participation in regency's micro 
credit program and integrated healthcare system (targeting 
maternal and child healthcare) 
 
Innovative Breakthrough in Public Accountability -- Jombang 
Regency 
Conducted public survey 
Innovative Breakthrough in Public Participation -- Lumajang 
Regency 
Innovative Breakthrough in Political Institutions -- Batu City 
Succeeded in strengthening democratic systems at the village 
level 
 
Special categories: 
Poverty Reduction -- Jember Regency 
Succeeded with its integrated poverty reduction program 
Environmental Management -- Surabaya City 
Succeeded with garbage management and extension of green areas 
MCCLELLAND