Policy Formulation During Pandemic COVID-19: A New Evidence of Multiple Streams Theory from Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Abstract

This study aims to answer how the policy formulation process resolves the pandemic's impact in DIY Province, Indonesia, in 2020. DIY is chosen as the case in this study because the governor is also a king in this region. It was also considered the best province in handling the pandemic Covid-19 in 2020. This study used multiple streams proposed by John W. Kingdon to elaborate on the policy formulation process. This research method is qualitative, conducted using an online questionnaire, in-depth interview, documentary from March to October 2020. It found that policy, problems, and political streams overlapped in a policy window, i.e., pandemic crisis, as a common concern that must be addressed immediately. The new finding is that the government administration system that combines monarchy and decentralization models has encouraged crises to be resolved more quickly through an integrated multiple streams formulation. The other new finding is the governor, as a policymaker, can take advantage of the pandemic as a policy window to act as the sole policy entrepreneur.