POLICY IMPLEMENTATION OF POVERTY REDUCTION IN MATARAM CITY, WEST NUSA TENGGARA, INDONESIA

Abstract

This study was qualitative research that produced descriptive data. The research took place in Mataram City, Nusa Tenggara Barat Province, Indonesia. We chose Mataram City due to the area's high number of poor communities. Data has been collected from informants and various documents. Findings confirmed that problems in policy implementation related to communication, resources, disposition/attitude, and bureaucracy structures. The programs of the central government mainly provided social assistance instead of poor community education. There was limited communication between implementers. Community and policy implementers did not have adequate knowledge of policy reduction policy, such as poverty's cause, impact, and countermeasures. The regional government relied on the central government's funding. The lack of facilities during policy implementation caused a low disposition/attitude. The bureaucracy did not implement community empowerment and encouraged independence in the poor urban community. The Edward III Model was proposed to solve the problems. The Mataram City government must collaborate with the central government, community, and business sectors. It also needs to pay attention to planning a poverty reduction policy, involves stakeholders in the planning, and establish an agency or technical institution specializing in community empowerment. Involving stakeholders, including the community, will help understand socio-cultural factors such as habits, customs, and local wisdom to make them feel like the subject of the policy, not the object. The bureaucracy structure may be utilized to achieve such involvement to promote community independence.