Replacement of 30 TPR Officers, This is the Real Reason the Regent of Gunungkidul Is Carrying out Major Overhauls in the Tourism Sector

KabarJawa.com— The Regent of Gunungkidul, Endah Subekti Kuntariningsih, replaced nearly 30 tourism levy collection point (TPR) officers.

This policy is not a sudden decision, but rather the result of in-depth reflection on performance evaluations, input from the DPRD, as well as public anxiety regarding alleged leaks in tourism sector income.

The Regent conveyed this strategic decision when conducting an assessment of TPR officers on January 2 2025.

In this activity, the Gunungkidul Regency Government invited almost 30 officers to receive direction as well as a comprehensive evaluation of their roles and responsibilities.

Reasons for Replacing Gunungkidul TPR Officers

Regent Endah explained that the reshuffle of TPR officers was part of an effort to refresh the organization, as was the rotation of positions which also applies to echelon II officials every two years.

“We carry out assessments and refreshments. The principle is the same as echelon II, after two years it needs to be shifted so that the organization remains dynamic and its performance increases,” said Endah.

According to him, refreshing is an important step to prevent performance stagnation while strengthening the integrity of the apparatus in sectors that have direct contact with cash.

This firm step became stronger after the Gunungkidul DPRD expressed strong criticism regarding the potential leakage of tourism revenue.

The DPRD, as representatives of the people, highlighted the failure to achieve the Regional Original Income (PAD) target from the tourism sector.

In the previous budget year, the Gunungkidul Regency Government set a tourism PAD target of IDR 30.2 billion.

The DPRD even pushed the target up to IDR 33 billion. However, the realization only reached IDR 30.4 billion, a figure that is not optimal.

“We listened to the DPRD’s aspirations as the people’s mouthpiece. This criticism is a serious reflection for us,” said Endah.

Regent Takes Initiative, TPR Officers Are Rolled Out

In response to these conditions, Regent Endah took the initiative to roll out TPR officers.

The Gunungkidul Regency Government collaborates directly with the Tourism Office to place new personnel who are expected to have integrity and high work enthusiasm.

Before serving, new officers first undergo a comprehensive assessment and briefing regarding duties, functions, responsibilities and job risks. They want officers to understand the consequences of their work.

“Managing levies means managing public trust,” he explained.

Apart from personnel changes, Regent Endah also emphasized his commitment to encouraging a non-cash payment system in all Gunungkidul tourist destinations. According to him, cash transactions always contain risks, regardless of who the officer is.

The district government is now starting to think about implementing electronic payments, QRIS, and collaborating with third parties, according to the potential of each tourist destination.

“In the future, we want payments at tourist attractions to switch to an electronic system. This is safer, more transparent and accountable,” he said.

Regent Endah emphasized that this policy was born from the anxiety of the community who wanted tourism management to be more honest and professional.

He also invited all OPD heads and stakeholders to move together to improve the system.

“This is not the work of one person. We are moving together with all heads of OPD and related SOPs to improve Gunungkidul tourism governance,” he concluded.

With a reshuffle of TPR officers, ongoing evaluation, and plans to digitize payments, the Gunungkidul Regency Government is optimistic that it will be able to increase tourism PAD significantly in the coming years.

This bold step also confirms Regent Endah Subekti Kuntariningsih’s commitment to maintaining transparency, strengthening the integrity of the apparatus, and ensuring that the tourism sector truly provides maximum benefits for the people of Gunungkidul. (ef linangkung)