For North Maluku Governor Sherly Tjoanda Laos, the 81st anniversary\nof Indonesian independence is not only a historical milestone but also a\nreminder that independence must be realised through development that\ndelivers justice and prosperity for all citizens. \u201cA sovereign, just,\nand prosperous Indonesia. The word \u2018just\u2019 is about equity, while\n\u2018prosperous\u2019 is about welfare. That is the goal and hope of the people,\u201d\nSherly said. Although her province has recorded the highest economic\ngrowth in Indonesia in recent years, Sherly believes the main challenge\nis no longer pursuing growth figures but ensuring that the benefits of\ngrowth are felt evenly across society.<\/p>\n
\u201cDevelopment in North Maluku is not yet inclusive. One of the main\ncauses is connectivity, because many areas are still not connected by\nproper roads and bridges,\u201d Sherly said. Limited infrastructure means\neconomic activity, public services, and public mobility are not optimal.\nThere are even villages that have waited 26 years for proper road\naccess.<\/p>\n
The public clearly wants connectivity development to be carried out\nimmediately. For this reason, the North Maluku Provincial Government is\nseeking to accelerate infrastructure development through additional\nfinancing of around Rp 1 trillion. This step is considered more\nstrategic than postponing development for several years. Sherly\nexplained that many variables cause the cost of road and bridge\nconstruction to rise from year to year. Based on simulations,\ndevelopment postponed until 2027 or even 2030 would result in costs\nswelling due to inflation, with material price increases estimated at\n30-50 percent.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it is built now, the total cost is actually more efficient. In\naddition, the economic benefits will be felt more quickly by the\ncommunity. Therefore, we believe this development acceleration is very\nfeasible,\u201d she said. Nevertheless, she stressed that the plan must still\nfollow the applicable mechanism, namely approval from the Regional\nPeople\u2019s Representative Council and public support as important\nprerequisites before the financing scheme is implemented.<\/p>\n
Currently, the North Maluku Provincial Government\u2019s development focus\nis strengthening inter-regional connectivity. Around 25-30 percent of\nthe Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget is allocated to improving\nthe stability of the provincial road network. When Sherly was\ninaugurated on 20 February 2025, the stability rate of approximately\n1,000 kilometres of provincial roads had only reached 46 percent.\nThrough the 2025 and 2026 regional budgets, the government has managed\nto improve around 100 kilometres of roads. This means around 440\nkilometres still need to be completed by the end of her term.<\/p>\n
Amid fiscal constraints and reduced central government transfers to\nregions, Sherly recognises that accelerating development cannot rely\nsolely on increasing budget allocations. The provincial government is\ntherefore implementing a dual strategy: strengthening regional fiscal\ncapacity by increasing locally generated revenue while also making\nspending more efficient so that fiscal space for development grows.<\/p>\n
According to Sherly, the results are beginning to show. North\nMaluku\u2019s locally generated revenue increased from around Rp 800 billion\nto Rp 1.1 trillion in 2025. In 2026, the government is again targeting\nan increase to Rp 1.5 trillion. This increase is able to compensate for\nreduced transfers from the central government. \u201cWe are making efficiency\nas tight as possible. Even though the regional budget is shrinking due\nto cuts in transfers to regions, locally generated revenue continues to\nrise so that capital expenditure can actually increase,\u201d Sherly\nsaid.<\/p>\n
While infrastructure spending in the 2025 regional budget was only\naround Rp 100 billion out of a total budget of Rp 3.6 trillion, capital\nexpenditure in 2026 has increased to around Rp 550 billion. The North\nMaluku Provincial Government is even targeting capital expenditure of Rp\n1 trillion in the 2027 regional budget, in line with the target of\nincreasing locally generated revenue by an average of Rp 300 billion\neach year.<\/p>\n
One source of growth in North Maluku\u2019s locally generated revenue\ncomes from optimising motor vehicle tax receipts. As of August 2026,\nrealised revenue from this sector had reached 100 percent of the annual\ntarget. This achievement forms the basis for the government to raise the\nlocally generated revenue target in the revised regional budget to\naround Rp 1.5 trillion.<\/p>\n
In addition to strengthening regional fiscal capacity, the North\nMaluku Provincial Government is actively building collaboration with the\ncentral government. Various strategic programmes have been realised,\nfrom the construction of People\u2019s Schools by the Ministry of Social\nAffairs, Integrated Schools and school rehabilitation by the Ministry of\nPrimary and Secondary Education, to fishing villages by the Ministry of\nMarine Affairs and Fisheries. There are also agricultural commodity\ndevelopment programmes from the Ministry of Agriculture; construction of\nregional roads, irrigation, and dams from the Ministry of Public Works;\nrevitalisation of community health centres and hospitals from the\nMinistry of Health; and rehabilitation of uninhabitable houses from the\nMinistry of Housing and Settlement Areas.<\/p>\n
Entering her second year in office, Sherly is pushing for improved\nquality of basic services. In the education sector, the North Maluku\nProvincial Government has begun implementing free schooling and reaching\nstudents living in island areas through distance learning for upper\nsecondary level. With a hybrid learning system, students will\nparticipate in face-to-face learning at schools available on their\nrespective islands, take part in online learning using materials on the\nRumah Pendidikan platform, and have access to printed learning\nmaterials.<\/p>\n
All learning processes will be under the guidance of the nearest\nparent school so that education quality is maintained. Pilot programmes\nhave been launched in East Halmahera, Morotai Island, and Central\nHalmahera, and will begin to be implemented in the new academic\nyear.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/north-maluku-provincial-government-inclusive-development-through-connectivity-1786931587", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }