CHRM2 in cooperation with MediaLink conducts Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on the transparency of public information on Monday, 30 October 2017 at the Faculty of Law, University of Jember. It specifically deals with the meeting of stakeholders to strengthen the transparency of public information in Jember Regency. Mujtaba, the Executive Director explains that the aim of Medialink in this forum is to find out the public information in Jember. He adds that Jember is accounted as of the lowest regency in Indonesia to provide an access to public information. The discussion is to measure to what extent of public transparency dealing with the Home Ministry Decree Number 3 Year 2017.
There are some problems that have been faced by Jember Regency to deal with transparency. First, Jember Regency does not have any adequate digital infrastructure. For instance, Pengelola Informasi dan Dokumentasi (PPID) or online database has not been well implemented as a media that is dedicated to publish online documentation to the public. It has been the problem that needs to be fixed by the local government by viewing that Jember Regency is ranked as of the lowest local government in terms of transparent governance. By the absence of the effective online platform, the public has the diffculties to access the information, specifically relating to the public service and figures of droup-out students in which it bears government’s responsiblities to fill and fulfill to citizens.
The access to online platform is regarded as prominent by Journalists in Jember. They need website to access the information to develop and spread public opinion regarding certain issues. In contrast, Banyuwangi has undergone a dramatic improvement in terms of online database that Jember needs to learn from Banyuwangi.