REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has stated that Indonesia will become a developed nation if bureaucrats are responsible and hardworking. He also urged civil servants to maintain curiousity.

"We must all believe it. God willing, Indonesia will become a developed nation if it has responsible and hardworking bureaucrats," he stated at the Senayan Indoor Stadium here on Tuesday.

The president made the remarks before would-be civil servants in his general lecture titled "United in Harmony towards World Class Bureaucracy 2024. "If bureaucrats always make innovations and put the interests of the people, the nation, and the state above the others, (we will be able to achieve the goal). To that end, I hope you will adapt to the dynamic world, with very fast changes," Jokowi noted.

He remarked that science and technology have grown rapidly and changes have brought a lot of new challenges, which results in digitally interactive strategic plan to change rapidly.

Economic strategic plan also changes due to financial technology and digital economy, and so does political strategic plan as a result of social media and netizens' high activities, he added.

"The government is required to work more rapidly, responsively, and efficiently. Likewise, bureaucrats must work hard and more efficiently and keep abreast of technological developments; innovative ideas; and social, economic, and political dynamics and must not forget to listen to the public's desires. If the public wants to be served rapidly, you must not work slowly. Otherwise, they will curse us," the president revealed.

He recalled an incident when he had to obtain the licensing service to secure a commercial permit while he was the Jakarta governor from 2012 to 2014. It took two weeks to secure it, while in fact the application only lacked five qualifications, namely the name of the company, name of the owner, address, capital, and the type of business.

"I came to the licensing office again and I told (the officer) that I had met the qualifications to secure a commercial permit. It was revealed that it would take only two minutes to secure it. I asked the officer at the front desk on why I must wait for two weeks. It turned out that it must be signed by the chief of the office on the third floor. I was very much annoyed," he explained.

The president then looked for the chief of the office because he often received complaints from the public and business world.

"I looked for the chief of the office. Luckily, he was not there. I was annoyed. If he was there, I don't know. Luckily, he was not there. We must know that the public wants to be served quickly. They want bureaucrats to work fast. Those are your tasks and challenges ahead," Jokowi pointed out.

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