The Governance of Customary Village and Public Service Innovation: A Local Wisdom-Based Model in Bali

Abstract

Public service in Bali has a unique characteristic because it runs in a dual system, namely formal government (administrative village) and customary-based government (customary village). A customary village with the leadership of the customary village head has a strong sociocultural legitimation, so it is potential to be a strategic actor in implementing local wisdom-based public service. This study aimed to analyze the role of customary village leadership, local wisdom implementation, public service model, and the supporting and inhibiting factors of the local wisdom-based public service in Bali. This study used qualitative approaches with data collection techniques in the form of in-depth interviews and documentation. The location of the study was determined purposively in Tabanan and Bulleng Regencies as the area representative with different characteristics of the customary villages. Informants include customary village heads, customary village staff, administrative village staff, public figures, and members of the customary village. The data analysis was conducted interactively through data reduction, data display, and conclusion. The research findings showed that customary village head leadership plays a crucial role in leading the moral, social, and cultural aspects of public service. Local wisdom, such as Tri Hita Karana, Tri Kaya Parisudha, menyama braya (communal solidarity), and awig-awig (customary regulations), was manifested as ethics, norms, and public service regulations. The resulting public service model is participatory, community-based, and collaborative between customary villages and administrative villages (hybrid governance). Key supporting factors include the social legitimacy of customary leadership and strong community compliance, while inhibiting factors include overlapping authority and limited administrative capacity. This study concludes that public services based on local wisdom through traditional village leadership are a contextual and sustainable alternative model for public service governance in Bali.