Indonesia civil service faces official appeal and watchdog allegations over staff transfers

Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform Rini Widyantini posted an open letter on Instagram on 18 July 2026 addressed to all civil servants (ASN) across Indonesia. In the message she thanked them for their daily service, urged them to maintain integrity and professionalism, and encouraged them to serve the nation with a smile, citing the importance of their work for education, health, infrastructure and data management.

Corruption Watch (ICW) later alleged that recent staff transfers (mutasi) within the Ministry of Public Works may be linked to a leaked travel itinerary of Minister Dody Hanggodo's trip to the United States, which listed his wife and child. ICW coordinator Nisa Zonzoa warned that while mutasi is a ministerial prerogative, it must be based on merit, organizational needs, and objective reasons, and cautioned that using it as retaliation could undermine accountability. She called for transparent handling of transfers and stronger whistle‑blower protection to ensure an accountable bureaucracy.