Consistent Advocacy for Asta Cita in Regions, Tamsil Linrung Receives KWP Awards 2026
Jakarta – Deputy Chairman of the Regional Representative Council (DPD) of the Republic of Indonesia, Tamsil Linrung, has received an award at the KWP Awards 2026 organised by the Parliament Journalists Coordinator (KWP). He was honoured in the category of DPD RI Leadership for Strengthening Regions Based on Culture, as appreciation for his consistency in promoting culture as the primary foundation for regional development.
“Thank you for this award. For me, this is not just an award, but an affirmation that national development cannot be separated from the roots of regional culture. Regions are the living space for values, traditions, and national identity,” said Tamsil Linrung in a press release on Thursday (16/4/2026).
According to Tamsil, the grand direction of development within the Asta Cita framework positions regions not merely as administrative entities, but as the soul and spirit of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. In this context, culture becomes a strategic foundation that determines the quality of national development in the long term.
This award, he continued, is a reflection of the DPD RI’s commitment to ensuring that national policies are not uprooted from the social and cultural roots of regional communities. He stressed that sustainable development can only be achieved if it is based on living and evolving local values within society.
This commitment is reflected in various advocacies carried out by Tamsil Linrung, from strengthening local-based food resilience through corn seed distribution in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, to support for the Free Nutritious Meals Programme (MBG). He views the MBG programme as not only having economic and health dimensions, but also cultural implications in shaping a healthy, capable generation with strong roots in societal values.
“Development must ensure the sustainability of values. This is where culture plays a central role, becoming the soul of every development policy,” he asserted.
Tamsil also emphasised that education and culture are two inseparable sides in building the future of regions. Education, in his view, is a medium of transformation, while culture is an anchor of identity. The two must go hand in hand so that development does not lose direction.
“When we talk about regions, we are not only talking about economic potential, but also about ways of life, local wisdom, and values passed down across generations. That is the Indonesian identity that must be preserved and strengthened,” he continued. He added that this award is a mandate to continue fighting for the voice of the regions to colour the pulse of national policy.
The KWP Awards 2026 event was also attended by several state institution leaders, including MPR Chairman Ahmad Muzani, DPR Chairman Puan Maharani, and DPD Chairman Sultan Najamudin. This award serves as an important marker that strengthening regional culture is increasingly recognised as a primary strategy in building a sovereign, characterful, and sustainable Indonesia.
Tamsil Linrung is the Deputy Chairman of DPD RI known for his consistent advocacy for regional interests. With a long background in Senayan, he continues to push for the synchronisation of central-regional policies in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s Asta Cita vision. Before serving in the DPD, Tamsil Linrung held positions as a DPR member for four terms. In the DPR, Tamsil once led the Budget Agency and Commission VII.