Netralitas Aparatur Sipil Negara (ASN) sebagai Pilar Etika Publik di Era Demokrasi Indonesia

Indonesia is a democratic country. Democracy provides freedom of space to express opinions, suggestions, and criticisms regarding the state. This study examines the neutrality of Apartur Sipil Negara (ASN) as a pillar of public ethics in the era of Indonesian democracy using the perspective of Good Governance theory. According to the World Bank (1992), good governance has four main principles, namely accountability, transparency, rule of law, and participation. However, democracy in Indonesia still faces various challenges that require serious attention. Political education, monitoring of democratic violations, and strengthening democratic institutions must be priorities to ensure democracy can run well. This study uses a literature study method by reviewing academic literature, regulations, and previous research. The results of the study indicate that the neutrality of ASN is the foundation of public administration ethics and an integral part of good governance. However, its implementation faces challenges in the form of patrimonial culture, political intervention, weak supervision, and inconsistent sanctions. Strengthening regulations, internalization of public ethics, and political commitment are needed to ensure the neutrality of ASN is truly maintained as the ideal of Weberian bureaucracy. Violations of the neutrality of Aparatur Sipil Negara (ASN) in Indonesia remain a serious and recurring problem, especially in the lead-up to electoral political momentum. KASN data from 2020–2024 shows that the number of cases of violations of ASN neutrality tends to increase in election years, illustrating the weak internalization and implementation of Good Governance principles according to the World Bank (1992). Regarding accountability, many ASN are still involved in practical political activities that prevent them from being neutral. Transparency, oversight, and enforcement of sanctions are still not optimal because information on violations is not fully disclosed. Regarding the rule of law, handling of ASN violations is still weak, resulting in a lack of deterrent effect. Regarding participation, the public is affected by ASN partisanship, which has the potential to create political pressure that ultimately undermines the quality of democratic freedom.