The Role of Malay Culture in Maintaining the Neutrality of the Civil Servants: A Case Study of Local Election in Riau, Indonesia

Abstract

Local election contestation has caused various problems of violating the neutrality of the bureaucracy in the public domain. Multiple types of regulations have proved unable to comprehensively maintain the principle of neutrality. Thus, it is necessary to instil a bureaucratic character supported by local values so that the Civil Servants can carry out their primary duties and functions optimally. This study aims to explain the role of Malay culture in maintaining the neutrality of the bureaucracy in the local election in Riau Province. This study uses a qualitative research method that explores various phenomena of violations of the neutrality of the bureaucracy in the 2018 Riau Governor Election. Data analysis was carried out through the Nvivo 12 Plus software sourced from the online news media content and interviews with Riau Province figures. The study found several causes influencing non-neutral Civil Servants in the Riau Governor election. They are dominated by personal closeness (21.74%), primordial relationship factors (20.29%), society passivity (18.84%), weak law enforcement (11.59%), regulatory ambiguity (11.59%), lack of understanding of regulations (8.70%), and job ambition (7.25%). Then to minimize the various factors of violations that occur, Malay cultural values can be an additional guideline in dealing with various dynamics that occur in political contestation in Riau Province. Every civil servant at the local level must re-recognize and understand the important principles of Malay culture, namely principles of justice, courage, shame, hard work, self-sacrifice, and honesty.