## Notes from 26 February 2026 [[2026-02-25|← Previous note]] ┃ [[2026-02-27|Next note →]] I’ve just read a fascinating media impact report titled _"[From SPPG to PPPK: The Dynamics of Program-Based Staffing in Indonesia’s Civil Service Reform](https://binokular.net/en/2026/01/30/from-sppg-to-pppk-the-dynamics-of-program-based-staffing-in-indonesias-civil-service-reform/)."_ The piece analyzes the public reaction to a massive administrative shift that essentially creates a "fast track" into the Indonesian bureaucracy. To understand why this is so controversial, one has to look at Indonesia's long struggle to professionalize its bureaucracy through a **merit system**. The state relies on two main employee types: **PNS** (permanent civil servants) and **PPPK** (contract-based employees). For decades, the system has also been propped up by a massive number of "honorary workers" - teachers and health staff who often serve for twenty years with very low pay and no job security, all while waiting for the chance to pass competitive national exams to gain formal status. The report highlights a departure from this traditional, competitive route to favor a specific political priority: the Free Nutritious Meals Program (MBG)* In practice, the government is moving **32,000 personnel** from the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) directly into **PPPK** status as of February 1, 2026. This bypass has triggered a "contest of narratives" in the media: - **The government’s defense:** Officials frame this as an "operational necessity" to ensure the meals program succeeds, arguing that nutritionists and accountants are strategic roles that require immediate stability for quality control. - **The critique:** Nearly **46% of media sentiment is negative**, focusing on the blatant inequality of the move. Critics and teacher organizations are revolting because these 32,000 newcomers are getting "the dream job" without the "nightmare exam" that veteran educators have been facing for a generation. This shift introduces what the report calls **"program-based staffing."** It marks a precedent where civil service reform (or "bureaucratic reform," as it is called in Indonesia) ceases to be an effort to build a rigid, cross-ministerial system of capability and fairness. Instead, the bureaucracy becomes a flexible tool shaped by political power and immediate projects. This reflects a paradox seen even in more mature systems: a persistent dispute between the drive for "accelerated results" and the preservation of "fair process".