E-musrenbang: a digital framework for local participatory planning at the community level

Abstract

It has been a longstanding mission of policymakers, good governance activists and scholars to encourage greater public participation in formulating legal drafts for better city planning. In recent years, emphasis has been placed upon digital engagement as a process which arguably allows more citizens to voice their needs and desires. In Indonesia, an example of such practices can be seen in the e-musrenbang platform, a digital version of a local public participation mechanism in city planning. This study highlights the case of Bandung City of Indonesia by shedding light on the implemented mechanism of e-musrenbang and the stakeholders involved as well as perceptions from its participants. The findings suggest that e-musrenbang has enhanced the transparency and accountability of the overall planning process, however, it has failed to deliver on promises to channel the voices of citizens and solve existing issues of participation.