Optimizing Electronic Documents to Support Bandung's Smart City Vision

Bandung is strengthening its digital administration by optimizing the use of electronic documents to support its goal of becoming a smart city. This digital transformation is seen as a crucial foundation for modernizing governance and public services.

Radea Respati, Chair of Commission I of the Bandung City DPRD, highlighted that digitalizing administration not only leads to a more effective and efficient bureaucracy but also speeds up data integration between agencies. This integration is a vital element for smart city development. He pointed out that many government agencies still require both digital and physical copies of documents, a practice that increases paper waste, energy consumption, and contradicts the principles of modern bureaucracy.

"The use of paper documents slows down the realization of a smart city because it hinders efficiency, limits data integration, and contradicts the principle of environmental sustainability," Radea stated. He emphasized that once a document has electronic legal standing through digital signatures or electronic archives, it should serve as the primary reference for administrative processes. Physical documents would only be used for specific purposes mandated by law.

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The use of paper documents slows down the realization of a smart city because it hinders efficiency, limits data integration, and contradicts the principle of environmental sustainability.

Beyond just changing document formats, digital administration aims to simplify work processes, making public services faster, more efficient, and easier for citizens to access. This initiative also aligns with Bandung's commitment to reducing waste through the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle (3R). Reducing paper usage offers additional benefits, including budget efficiency and support for more sustainable environmental management.

Radea urged for an evaluation of administrative procedures that still require both soft and hard copies. He also called on all regional perangkat daerah (work units) to foster a more digital work culture, ensuring that document printing is only done when absolutely necessary. "Digital administration must be realized holistically, not just by moving documents to electronic format while maintaining an excessive printing culture," he concluded.

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Digital administration must be realized holistically, not just by moving documents to electronic format while maintaining an excessive printing culture.