{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1629382,
        "msgid": "regional-inefficiency-and-the-central-paradox-1774162281",
        "date": "2026-03-22 13:26:04",
        "title": "Regional Inefficiency and the Central Paradox",
        "author": "Sandro Gatra",
        "source": "KOMPAS",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Politics",
        "summary": "President Prabowo Subianto has criticised the inefficient management of regional budgets, highlighting non-priority expenditures such as expensive official vehicles in East Kalimantan while basic needs like village bridges remain unaddressed. The article argues that this issue stems from inadequate central government oversight and guidance in the decentralisation framework, rather than solely local government faults, and warns that proposed budget cuts to regional transfers could violate constitutional principles of fair financial relations between central and local authorities. This critique underscores the need for systemic improvements in budget evaluation and supervision to ensure productive governance across levels.",
        "content": "<p>President Prabowo Subianto criticised the practice of budget\nmanagement at the regional level, which he deemed inefficient and\nunproductive, during a limited discussion with selected observers and\nseveral senior journalists in Hambalang, Bogor, this past weekend.<\/p>\n<p>This criticism, among other things, refers to the use of budgets for\nnon-priority expenditures, including the procurement of fantastically\nexpensive official vehicles in East Kalimantan, amid the many unmet\nbasic needs of the community, such as village bridge infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p>However, this criticism could spark debate from the perspective of\ngovernment governance.<\/p>\n<p>It cannot be simplified merely to the behaviour of regional\ngovernments, but must be viewed comprehensively within the framework of\ncentral-regional relations regarding aspects of guidance and supervision\nof autonomous regions.<\/p>\n<p>Decentralisation requires the central government\u2019s responsibility to\nprovide guidance and supervision of regions (Binwas). The centre must\nnot simply \u201csit back\u201d after delegating authority.<\/p>\n<p>In my opinion, systemically, the mechanism for supervising regional\nbudgets is actually available through the levels of government\u2014from\ngovernors to the Ministry of Home Affairs.<\/p>\n<p>However, in practice, the evaluation function of regional budgets\noften runs only as a formality of administrative procedures.<\/p>\n<p>There are also technical constraints, such as the limited evaluation\ntime of only about two weeks, as well as an accumulation of workload, so\nthat supervision is not optimal.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, there are political factors that make supervision tend\nto be lenient to avoid conflicts between levels of government, such as\ngovernors versus regents and mayors.<\/p>\n<p>The president\u2019s criticism of regional inefficiency essentially\ntargets aspects of guidance and supervision by the central\ngovernment.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, the problem cannot be separated from the central\ngovernment\u2019s responsibility as the guide and supervisor of regional\ngovernments.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, a solution in the form of cutting regional budgets is not\nthe right approach. What happens is more like \u201cscratching someone else\u2019s\nitch.\u201d The problem is governance, but what is cut is the regional\nbudget.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the policy of cutting transfers to regions (TKD) to\naround 17 percent or Rp 650 trillion from the 2026 state budget of Rp\n3,786 trillion actually has the potential to contradict the\nconstitution.<\/p>\n<p>Article 18A paragraph (2) of the 1945 Constitution mandates that\nfinancial relations between the central government and regional\ngovernments be regulated and implemented in a fair and balanced\nmanner.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/regional-inefficiency-and-the-central-paradox-1774162281",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}