Bima Arya Outlines Three Challenges for Regional Heads, from Hormuz Strait Issues to Political Promises

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Bima Arya Sugiharto, stated that regional heads currently face heavier challenges compared to previous periods. “There are three challenges faced by regional heads today,” he said during the Central Development Coordination Meeting (Rakorbangpus) broadcast on the Bappenas RI YouTube channel, on Thursday (7/5/2026). The first challenge relates to Middle East geopolitics, where the outbreak of war between Iran and the United States-Israel has a direct impact on regions. “This has never happened before—regents and mayors are closely monitoring the Strait of Hormuz like today, wanting to know when this issue with goods will be resolved,” said Bima. Bima explained that previously, geopolitical challenges for regional heads were limited to terrorism issues. There was a connection, but it did not directly impact regional governance. The second challenge is the mandate from the central government regarding National Strategic Projects (PSN). This mandate cannot be eliminated, as it serves as one of the Main Performance Indicators (KPI) for regional heads in carrying out governance. The third challenge is political promises to the communities they lead. Bima stated that there are electoral promises and the most fundamental matters that must be fulfilled by regional heads. “This is something that is very difficult, very difficult,” he remarked. Therefore, the Ministry of Home Affairs is attempting to carry out synchronisation so that these three challenges can be implemented maximally without anything being left behind.