The proposal to implement a single salary system for civil servants (Aparatur Sipil Negara/ASN) has resurfaced following a statement by the Head of the National Civil Service Agency (Badan Kepegawaian Negara/BKN), Zudan Arif Fakrulloh, during the 2025 National Working Meeting of Korpri held in Palembang on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.
The single salary system is considered to improve the welfare of civil servants and retirees by replacing the dual salary system that separates the basic salary from allowances. However, despite being discussed for nearly a decade, the policy has yet to be realized.
Lecturer and researcher at the Department of Public Policy and Management, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Fisipol UGM), Dr. Agustinus Subarsono, said that conceptually, the single salary system is a positive step for improving bureaucratic governance and enhancing the welfare of civil servants.
“The single salary system consolidates all salary components, such as child, spouse, and rice allowances, into a single base salary. This simplifies the salary structure,” said Dr. Subarsono on Wednesday (Oct. 22).
According to Dr. Subarsono, implementing the single salary system would not only help the government in budgeting but also allow civil servants to focus more on their work without seeking additional income from external projects or activities.
“With a single salary system, there would be no more meeting or committee allowances. Civil servants could focus on performance since the compensation is already comprehensive,” he added.
From a welfare perspective, Dr. Subarsono noted that the system would also increase pension benefits.
“Currently, pension payments are calculated at around 75 percent of the basic salary. If the base salary rises under the single salary system, pension benefits will also increase,” Dr. Subarsono explained.
He further stated that the policy could help reduce the welfare gap between civil servants in urban and rural areas through a more proportional cost-of-living allowance. However, he emphasized the importance of thorough preparation before the government enacts such a policy.
“The bureaucratic system and regulations must be ready; it cannot be experimental. The government needs to carefully calculate every salary component,” the expert said.
Moreover, the single salary system must ensure fair compensation, as it would eliminate opportunities for civil servants to earn additional income beyond their base salary.
Regarding the connection between the single salary system and the Draft Government Regulation (RPP) on Civil Servants, the public policy lecturer explained that the regulation could strengthen legal protection for civil servants while improving their welfare.
“A higher salary can serve as a preventive measure to discourage civil servants from engaging in criminal acts or corruption, though the key still lies in individual integrity,” he stressed.
Dr. Subarsono also highlighted the importance of coordination among ministries to ensure the policy moves beyond discourse. He said that collaboration between related ministries, such as the Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform (Kementerian PAN-RB) and the Ministry of Finance (Kemenkeu), is essential for establishing clear and transparent regulations.
“If implemented, I believe this policy could enhance civil servant motivation and strengthen the merit system,” he concluded.
In conclusion, the single salary system is viewed not merely as a technical reform in salary distribution but as a strategic step toward building a more efficient, equitable, and high-quality bureaucracy. However, without regulatory readiness, the proposal risks remaining as mere discourse without implementation.
Author: Ika Agustine
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Illustration: Freepik