Non-Western philosophy and public administration: Public service provision in Nagari Minangkabau, Indonesia

Abstract

This chapter delves into the tradition of Non-Western Public Administration (NWPA) from an Indonesian, specifically Sumatran, context. The philosophies of Adat Basandi Syarak, Syarak Basandi Kitabullah (ABS-SBK) (customs based on the Sharia and the Sharia based in turn on the Quran) and Alam Takambang Jadi Guru (learning from nature; ATJG) have been and remain the guiding life philosophy of the Minangkabau people predominantly found in West Sumatra amongst highland villages known as nagari. These nagari represent the traditional Minangkabau community structure, functioning as a self-governing institution based on a concept called Adat Salingka Nagari, which encompasses a unified community governed by customary rules and norms that oversee community life, including providing public services. They exemplify a form of public governance and contribution to the common good, deeply rooted in specific Islamic cultural practices and traditions at the local level, that is, as Indigenous Cooperative Institutions (ICIs). To investigate the historical and contemporary significance of these institutions, we conducted a study using a multi-site case design in three nagari, each with a distinctive domain of service provision, yet all were found to be unified in upholding community harmony and cultural values. This, in turn, underscores the importance of musyawarah-mufakat (deliberation-consensus) in the Minangkabau community.