For tourists or visitors enjoying Bali (Indonesia), Tabanan regency is a destination not-to be missed. Many tourist attractions are located in the area: Tanah Lot, pura (Balinese Hindu temples), Bali park, famous Kedaton monkey park, various beaches, and paddy field are among many other attractive tourist destinations. Having this local richness, though, local government of Tabanan does not stop innovating. Mayor Ni Putu Eka Wiryastuti of Tabanan keeps identifying ways for the betterment of local people’s life. Considering what Tabanan has, Mayor Ni Putu Eka Wiryastuti has chosen to develop local potency and improve mobility in the area. The later is realised through infrastructure improvement (road building), application of e-parking system (the first in Bali province), and provision of free school bus service.
Supporting Development of Local Potencies
Mayor Ni Putu Eka Wiryastuti has acknowledged the importance of developing local potency, optimising the area’s mountains and beaches. Leading the city of almost 500,000 people mostly relying on agricultural sector, Mayor Ni Putu Eka Wiryastuti has given great attention to this sector. Under her leadership, local government of Tabanan has provided local people with access to funding, equipments, and capacity building activities to improve farmers’ welfare. The effort has shown positive result: improvement of Tabanan’s local economy to 6.4% (Tribunnews.com, 2017). Diversification in this agricultural sector has also been conducted and has successfully reduced the unemployment rate, from 7,500 to 1,500 people (2017).
Engaging Local People in Improving Infrastructure
Road stretching out 78 km across Tabanan area is one of Mayor Ni Putu Eka Wiryastuti’s achievements that highly support the development of local economy. In building the road, local government of Tabanan also engaged local people and, thus, shared the works: local government providing materials, local people providing human resources. Participation of local people is made possible through successful awareness raising effort conducted by local government to local people, making them willing to take part in efforts conducted for public interest. The road building itself aims at improving local economy, through infrastructure improvement.
Application of e-Parking System – #1 in the Province
Tabanan is the first area in Bali Province that applies e-Parking system. Considering the system’s efficiency, transparency, and organised data recording, this application aims at increasing Tabanan’s locally generated revenue. At the same time, it also offers solution for limited parking space and better parking management in the area. The initiative started to be implemented in 2018 after installment of electronic parking terminal in some areas, such as Jalan Gajah Mada (western and eastern part), Jalan Gunung Batur, Jalan Melati, and Jalan MH Thamrin. Executive Director/Head of Department National Electronification and Payment Gate of Indonesia, Pungky Purnomo Wibowo mentioned Tabanan can be role model for cities in Bali and Nusa Tenggara for its innovation in applying e-Parking system.
Free School Bus Service
This initiative has been highly appreciated. First introduced in 2014, this programme aims at reducing accidents and crime rate that involves students (as casualties and/or actors). Mayor Ni Putu Eka Wiryastuti, in her written statement to one of Indonesia’s national media (Jawapos, April 2017) mentioned the accident rate has been greatly reduced “from 23% to only 2%” since the bus is operated. Free School Bus Service is a joint-initiative of Tabanan local government and Indonesian Ministry of Transport under the national framework of Rute Aman Sekolah Sehat (RASS/Safe Route, Safe School) programme. Tabanan is appointed to become pilot of this programme considering Mayor Ni Putu Eka Wiryastuti’s commitment on this matter, which further expressed in form of budget allocation to realise this initiative. Through this programme, school buses take students from home to school and vice versa. After school operating hours end, the bus serves passengers according to their dedicated route.
Achievements
Mayor Ni Putu Eka Wiryastuti has received various awards due to her commitment and dedication to her people. Among many, she has been awarded as the best in Preparing Local Government Work Plan, (on behalf of Tabanan regency) city with the best local government body in Cooperative, Small and Medium Enterprises, and as Most Powerful Women in Politics 2018 in Women’s Talking & Awarding Indonesian Women Leaders event.
Mayor Ni Putu Eka Wiryastuti said what she has done aims to serve local people with heart. With her initiatives and innovative ideas reflecting her leadership that takes people-centric approach, Mayor Ni Putu Eka Wiryastuti of Tabanan has set example of what a leader should be like.
