This study examines the implementation of the Electronic Village Administrative System (SEDULUR) as part of the Cirebon City Government’s e-government initiative to enhance efficiency, accessibility, and transparency in public services. Using a qualitative approach and Agarwal’s five-stage e-government theory— website existence, interaction, collaboration, technical complexity, and information-push—the study finds that SEDULUR is still at the initial stage of website existence. Limitations include unidirectional functionality, minimal system sophistication, and restricted access limited to village-level operators, primarily due to the revocation of regional authority. While the system has assisted operators in service delivery, it has not yet reached its full potential. The study recommends further development of SEDULUR to meet all stages of e-government maturity, enabling more effective services and encouraging greater public participation.
Public service plays a vital role in social and governmental life, as it directly impacts the welfare and quality of life of the community. Public service refers to efforts undertaken by an individual, a group of individuals, or specific institutions to provide help and convenience to the public in achieving certain objectives (Putra, 2019). The government strives to deliver public services by encouraging the optimization of systems and procedures, thereby enabling the provision of services to be more efficient. As part of its responsibility to provide high-quality public services, the government is implementing digital public service initiatives in Indonesia. The utilization of technology can significantly accelerate and simplify service processes (Sari & Winarno, 2012b).
Problems in public service delivery within government institutions often stem from the suboptimal provision of services to the community. This issue arises because several government agencies still rely on traditional governance models, commonly referred to as paper-based administration (Pertiwi et al., 2021). This approach frequently leads to public complaints regarding the time- consuming nature of government services and the complexity of administrative procedures.
Along with technological advancements, the government is increasingly pressured to undergo a transformation toward e-government and move away from conventional methods in order to improve the quality of public services. According to Clay G. Wescott, e-government is the application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to promote more efficient governance, effectively reduce costs, simplify government services, and provide public access to information, while simultaneously enhancing governmental accountability to its citizens (Sari & Winarno, 2012a). The implementation of e-government in Indonesia began with the issuance of Presidential Instruction (Inpres) No. 3 of 2003 concerning the National Policy and Strategy for the Development of E- Government. This policy aimed to promote a transformation towards more democratic practices. E-government is expected to have a positive impact by empowering the public through improved access to information, enhancing government service delivery, strengthening relationships between the business sector and the government in relevant industries, and increasing efficiency and transparency in the management of public services (Heriyanto, 2022).
Currently, implementing e-government is not only concentrated at the national level, but regional governments have also begun to adopt it. In this regard, the City of Cirebon issued Mayor Regulation No. 61 of 2021 on the Implementation of the Electronic-Based Government System (SPBE) within the Regional Government of Cirebon City. This regulation acknowledges the rapid advancements in information and communication technology, as well as the significant potential for its utilization, particularly in regional governance. These advancements offer opportunities to access, manage, and use information and communication efficiently, accurately, and appropriately, under the provisions set forth in Presidential Regulation No. 95 of 2018 on the Electronic-Based Government System.
To accelerate the implementation of the Electronic-Based Government System (SPBE) in the Cirebon City area and to enhance the standards of governance based on information and communication technology, actions are required to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of SPBE implementation. One of the measures taken by the Cirebon City Government to achieve this objective is the introduction of the Electronic Village Administrative System (SEDULUR). As the level of government closest to the community, the village plays a crucial role in delivering essential services such as population administration, licensing, and social services. SEDULUR, as a digital-based administrative system, serves an important role in digitizing various services and administrative processes that were previously conducted manually. Through implementing SEDULUR, all data and information related to village administration can be managed in an organized and integrated manner, thereby accelerating and simplifying service delivery processes. SEDULUR encompasses a wide range of public services, including civil administration, permit applications, issuing official statements, and other services required by the community.
Based on data got from the Department of Communication, Informatics, and Statistics of Cirebon City, Jagasatru Village is one of the last villages to adopt and implement the SEDULUR system. As the final adopter, Jagasatru faces both challenges and opportunities in leveraging technology to improve the quality of its services. On this basis, the researcher finds it necessary to further investigate the transition from manual to digital administrative processes through SEDULUR. This system replaces the previously manual administrative methods, which were often time-consuming, prone to errors, and inefficient.
One of the government’s efforts to improve public services and promote good governance is the implementation of digital technology at the regional government level (Resika Arthana et al., 2022). As the smallest administrative unit within regional governance that directly interacts with the public, the village administration requires appropriate strategies to improve the quality of public service delivery, making it more accessible and efficient. One such strategy is the adoption of E-Government at the village level (Syaputra, 2021).
According to Agarwal (2000), as cited in I Nyoman, Trisantosa Kurniasih, and Hubeis (2022), e-government is defined as a system that evolves through five distinct levels, each representing increasing complexity in its implementation and associated challenges:
Level One–Website Existence
At the initial level, the information provided by the government to the public is one-directional, merely presenting basic details about the institution, such as its structure and functions. This stage is marked by the emergence of government websites across various institutions. However, this early phase of e-government does not establish good governance.
Level Two–Transaction and Interaction
At this level, transactions and interactions between the government and the public occur online. In other words, two-way communication begins to take place digitally between public institutions and citizens.
Level Three – Collaboration
This level is characterized by online collaboration between different government institutions. It reflects an integrated approach where inter- agency coordination is facilitated through digital platforms.
Level Four – Technical Complexity
At this stage, e-government applications begin to exhibit technical complexity. Beyond mere inter-agency and public collaboration, the system integrates advanced capabilities—such as enabling the retrieval of all relevant citizen information from a single data point.
Level Five – Information Push
In the final stage, the government treats citizens as primary stakeholders, proactively providing and delivering information tailored to their needs. The system is citizen-centric, offering personalized services and timely access to information without requiring active requests from users.
The utilization of technology has increasingly been implemented
across various regional government institutions. For instance, a
study conducted by Septory et al. (2022), titled
indicate that public service delivery in Oro-Oro Dowo Village, previously characterized by time-consuming manual methods, has become significantly more effective following the adoption of digital administrative systems in serving the public.
This improvement is reflected in enhanced public service delivery, such as increased performance levels, greater citizen satisfaction, and improved system quality compared with the previous manual processes. Additionally, the management of records has become more efficient, as documents are now stored digitally rather than being handwritten and filed in physical cabinets, as was previously the case.
Another study related to the digitalization of public services
was conducted by Anggie Destiana et al. (Destiana et al., 2024),
titled
through the PRESISI application has not yet been fully effective. A significant number of citizens still struggle to use the application because of the lack of public outreach and education regarding its usage.
The conventional, manually operated government system has been replaced by electronic-based e-government services (Zakiah et al., 2024). Similarly, the Regional Government of Cirebon City has implemented e- government as part of its effort to support the smart city initiative through the launch of the SEDULUR program. This web-based electronic system is an innovation introduced by Kalijaga Village in Harjamukti Subistrict to accelerate administrative services across the villages of Cirebon City. The SEDULUR program has been implemented in five districts of the city, including Jagasatru Village in Pekalipan Subistrict, which serves as the primary focus of this study.
This aligns with a study conducted by Nariyah et al. (2023),
titled
optimal performance. One of the main challenges is that residents are still required to contact their local neighborhood head (RW) to access the system. Additionally, efforts to develop and improve the system were hindered by the reallocation of funding during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This study focuses on examining the extent to which the Electronic
Village Administrative System (SEDULUR) aligns with the stages of
e-government development as proposed by Agarwal (2000), which include
five levels: Website Existence, Transaction and Interaction,
Collaboration, Technical Complexity, and Information-Push. The
research locus is the Jagasatru Village Office, located in Cirebon
City. This research employs a descriptive qualitative approach.
According to Lincoln and Guba, as cited in
Technology and communication have provided significant support to various governmental activities, including the management of population administration through implementing digital-based governance systems
(Widiyarta & Humaidah, 2023). The digitalization of public services within the government sector has been implemented in Cirebon City through SEDULUR. This web-based electronic system is an innovation initiated by Harjamukti Subistrict, aiming to digitize public services at the village (kelurahan) level. In this effort, Harjamukti Subdistrict submitted a request for support to the Cirebon City Department of Communication, Informatics, and Statistics (DKIS) to realize the program’s objectives. The system was gradually implemented in all village offices across Cirebon City beginning in 2020. Its daily operation is managed by public service operators at each village office.
This study focuses on the transition from manual to digital administrative processes through implementing SEDULUR in Jagasatru Village, Pekalipan Subdistrict, Cirebon City. Prior to the adoption of SEDULUR, all administrative procedures were conducted manually, which resulted in time-consuming service delivery to the community. Additionally, documents were stored in physical (paper) form, making it difficult to track and organize data because of the accumulation of physical files.
The SEDULUR system offers several features, including the following: 1) Profile: Contains information about Jagasatru Village, including the village profile, organizational structure, territorial data, and demographic information;
2) Integration: Provides an integration menu with SAMSAT (Opak Sedulur); however, this feature is currently non-functional; 3) Population: Includes features such as resident search, lists of eligible voters, deceased individuals, and residents who have moved; 4) Territory: Displays data on neighborhood units (RW) within Jagasatru Village; 5) Events: Records civil events such as births, deaths, and migrations ; 6) Social: Contains data on orphans and elderly residents; however, this feature is currently inaccessible; 7) Letters: Manages all types of administrative correspondence, with 23 letter types that can be processed by the village operator to meet community needs; 8) Statistics: Presents statistical data related to Jagasatru Village. At present, several features within the SEDULUR system are not fully operational, including Opak Sedulur, eligible voter data, and the social data features. The relevant government agency is currently conducting a reassessment of these features for further development. Meanwhile, the other features are functioning well and under their respective purposes and objectives.
Using the SEDULUR system has significantly streamlined the workflow of public service operators, particularly in managing resident data. The system’s comprehensive service features, along with centralized access to citizens’ service history retrievable simply by entering the National Identification Number (NIK) greatly facilitate administrative tasks. Service requests can be processed quickly by operators, reducing public complaints related to complicated procedures and long processing times. This not only improves work efficiency but also ensures accurate and consistent data across all services. However, one of the main challenges faced by operators is network instability, which can disrupt public services and slow system response times. If this issue persists over an extended period, operators are forced to revert to manual administrative procedures. In terms of system security, vulnerability testing has been conducted, and
mitigation measures have been taken to prevent potential data falsification. Furthermore, based on interviews with several community members, it was revealed that administrative service processes at Jagasatru Village have become noticeably faster since implementing SEDULUR. The requirements are easier for residents to fulfill, and the bureaucracy is no longer perceived as complicated.
The implementation of e-government in Cirebon City is marked, among other things, by the emergence of various government service websites. This implementation extends not only at the city government level but has also been widely adopted at the village level. The SEDULUR is digital governance implementation that supports various administrative processes, including population-related services. A more in-depth analysis of the utilization of the SEDULUR system in Jagasatru Village is conducted using Agarwal’s (2000) theory, which outlines five key indicators:
The emergence of government websites represents an innovation aimed at supporting more effective public service delivery. At this level of e- government, systems do not yet exhibit technical complexity to the public, and the information provided remains general and one-directional. Based on data got through interviews with the Cirebon City Department of Communication, Informatics, and Statistics (DKIS), the SEDULUR program was initially developed as an innovation by Harjamukti Subdistrict to digitize public services at the village level. This web-based electronic system is operated by public service officers (operators) at the village level. According to the researcher’s analysis, the SEDULUR system has been implemented in all villages across Cirebon City. In alignment with Agarwal’s first level of e-government, Website Existence, SEDULUR currently operates in a one-directional manner. This is because of the revocation of regional or city government authority over the management of population data, which has limited system access solely to village operators and excluded public access.
It can therefore be provisionally concluded that SEDULUR has reached the first stage of e-government development as defined by Agarwal, which corresponds to the “Publish” stage in the e-government implementation process outlined by the Center for Democracy and Technology and InfoDev, as referenced in the study by Asmawati & Holipah (2024).
In today’s digital era, the public increasingly demands transparency in government services. To meet public service needs effectively, online transactions and interactions between citizens and government are essential. Based on the research findings gathered through interviews with informants, the SEDULUR system had previously operated as a two-way platform, where it was accessible to the public. As reported in a prior study on SEDULUR conducted by faculty members of University of Swadaya Gunung Jati (Nariyah et al., 2023),
titled
the revocation of regional authority is a major factor contributing to the system’s return to a one-way operation. Yet, the development of e-government requires two-way interaction, under the “Maturity Stage” of e-government development as explained by Soedjojo (in Phillipus & Sahay, 2022).
It can therefore be provisionally concluded that SEDULUR has not fulfilled the second level of Agarwal’s e-government model. However, the relevant municipal agencies plan to redevelop the system into a two-way platform, allowing citizens to once again access services online. This is expected to help Cirebon City achieve more transparent, accountable, and efficient public service delivery.
Efforts to better meet public needs can be enhanced through collaboration between various institutions and the community. E-government at this level relies on the active cooperation of interconnected institutions to streamline bureaucracy and expedite public service delivery. Based on this framework, data analysis from interviews with informants reveals that, at present, the SEDULUR system does not engage in active collaboration with other institutions. However, in 2021, there was a temporary collaboration with SAMSAT Cirebon City in developing the Opak Sedulur feature, which integrated vehicle tax data and vehicle status information. Currently, this feature is undergoing re-evaluation by the relevant department, and therefore cannot yet be used by system operators. This decision was made to ensure the appropriateness and effectiveness of inter- agency collaboration before reinstating the feature. These findings indicate that institutional collaboration within the SEDULUR program has not yet been optimized. According to Ludwig von Bertalanffy’s systems theory, as cited in the study by Raden Vina Iskandya Putri (2023), successful system implementation requires meaningful cooperation between institutions. Thus, it can be provisionally concluded that SEDULUR has not yet reached the third level of Agarwal’s (2000) e-government model, as online collaboration remains in the evaluation stage. If inter-agency collaboration within the SEDULUR program is implemented effectively, it could significantly improve service quality, productivity, and document processing efficiency for the public.
Advancements in science and technology (IPTEK) have significantly facilitated and supported various aspects of public needs and services. At this stage, e-government begins to demonstrate higher levels of technical complexity. This development not only requires collaboration but also involves the
implementation of advanced features enabling citizens to access services across multiple domains through a single platform within a short period.
Based on interview findings, the SEDULUR system is still positioned at the first level. The system remains one-directional, with its features operable only by designated village operators, while integration and collaboration functions are not yet running optimally. In addition, residents are still required to process their administrative needs offline. The research analysis shows that the system currently lacks technically complex features. SEDULUR does not meet the parameters of this level, as its functionalities are limited to addressing basic administrative needs within the village scope only.
Factors such as the revocation of regional authority and the underutilization of technological resources at the village level are key reasons why the system has not been fully optimized. In contrast, applications or websites that have reached this level typically feature two-way interaction, institutional collaboration, and technical sophistication that streamline public services—reducing bureaucratic obstacles and shortening processing times. This concept aligns with the third stage (vertical integration) in the e-government evolution theory by Layne and Lee, which describes systems becoming more complex and integrated into a single, unified service platform. Therefore, it can be concluded that the SEDULUR program has not yet reached the fourth stage of e-government implementation as defined by Agarwal. Further development is required for the system to support more efficient public service delivery.
The information-push approach in e-government refers to the government’s proactive efforts to deliver structured and personalized information based on the specific needs of the public. At this stage, the government does not merely await citizens to seek information but instead pushes relevant information directly, such as updates on public services, policies, or administrative procedures. According to interviews with system operators, SEDULUR has simplified their tasks in service delivery, as the database, administrative features, and service history are integrated within a single system. By simply entering a citizen’s National Identification Number (NIK), operators can quickly process service requests. The analysis shows that information within the SEDULUR system is already well-packaged at the village level, with demographic dynamics and document issuance processes unified within the system. However, SEDULUR has not yet fulfilled the sequential levels of development as outlined by Agarwal to be considered fully optimal at this stage. It can thus be concluded that SEDULUR currently functions only as an informational repository limited to the village scope and remains at the first level: Website Existence. Local government authorities need to place greater emphasis on the effective use of technology, especially in managing general village administration. SEDULUR might reach the information-push level of Agarwal’s model if the preceding indicators in the e-government process are implemented optimally. This concept aligns with the fourth stage (Horizontal Integration) in
Layne and Lee’s E-Government Evolution Theory, which suggests that e- government has matured into an integrated service platform for the public.
The implementation of e-government in Cirebon City is marked, among other initiatives, by the establishment of the Electronic Village Administrative System (SEDULUR), which has been implemented across all villages to facilitate citizens’ administrative needs in a more time-efficient manner. Using Agarwal’s five-tier theory of e-government development, this system was analyzed. The findings of this study indicate that SEDULUR remains at the first stage, namely Website Existence. This is primarily due to the system’s limited accessibility; it is only operable by system operators and the fact that several key indicators of e- government development have not yet been fulfilled. These include the lack of interaction and transaction, collaboration, technical complexity, and information- push capabilities. One of the main factors contributing to these limitations is the revocation of regional authority in managing population data. Additionally, some features within the system are currently inactive and require further evaluation by the relevant government agencies.
Although SEDULUR is not yet functioning optimally, it has significantly assisted operators in delivering public services more efficiently, thereby reducing lengthy waiting times for citizens. This study acknowledges certain limitations, particularly regarding the system’s incomplete functionality at the time of research. Future studies are encouraged once the technological utilization within the system improves and village-level e-government reaches a more advanced stage of development.