Implementation Of Government Regulation Number 94 Of 2021 Concerning Civil Servant Discipline In Prabumulih City Government: Analysis Of The Theory Perspective Of George C. Edwards Iii And The Merit System

Abstract

This study aims to thoroughly analyze the effectiveness and barriers in implementing Government Regulation Number 94 of 2021 concerning Civil Servant Discipline within the Prabumulih City Government. The analysis is framed through the four determinant variables of George C. Edwards III's policy implementation theory—communication, resources, disposition, and bureaucratic structure—and integrated with the framework of merit system strengthening in public administration. The core issue motivating this research is the empirical discovery during unannounced inspections by the Regional Inspectorate and BKPSDM of Prabumulih City, which revealed that six civil servants across various Regional Apparatus Organizations (OPD) had been absent from duty for two to ten years while anomalously continuing to receive full monthly salaries. A qualitative descriptive methodology was adopted, drawing on policy document analysis, in-depth interviews, and field observations. The findings indicate that the implementation of Government Regulation No. 94 of 2021 remains suboptimal due to four critical structural barriers: policy communication that is administrative rather than transformative; resource constraints characterized by insufficient supervisory personnel and lack of integrated digital attendance systems; passive and permissive disposition of OPD heads influenced by local political patronage; and a fragmented bureaucratic structure lacking standardized integrated operating procedures. The study concludes with strategic recommendations for digitalizing oversight, embedding meritocratic accountability, and strictly sanctioning supervisory officers who fail to enforce discipline.