Deputy Home Minister: Leaders Must Have Ideology, Strategy, and Tactics

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Wamendagri) Bima Arya Sugiarto has emphasised that every aspiring regional leader or bureaucrat must possess three key leadership foundations: ideology, strategy, and tactics. He stated that these aspects are crucial to ensure leaders make decisions based on values and public interest, rather than being driven by popularity or short-term gains. “For those of you who today have aspirations and dreams of holding strategic positions, whatever they may be, you must have values and principles so that you are not easily bought by transactional interests,” Bima said in Jakarta on Wednesday. He explained that ideology serves as a compass that determines policy direction. However, these values must be translated through the right strategy to be realised into programmes whose benefits are directly felt by the community. One approach he applied during his time as a regional head was the concept of “instalment hope,” which involves delivering gradual but consistent change through programmes that address residents’ needs. He noted that this strategy proved effective in driving regional progress. As an example, Bogor City’s Original Local Government Revenue (PAD) increased from IDR 544 billion in 2014 to IDR 1.458 trillion in 2024, a rise of 167.9 percent. Additionally, various development programmes were successfully implemented, including the revitalisation of 15 hectares of city parks and the construction of 30 kilometres of pedestrian pathways to improve the quality of public spaces. “A leader must be skilled on the ground, so my message is that the problems are in the field, not behind a desk,” he asserted. He also reminded that the opportunity to lead is a valuable mandate and does not last forever. Therefore, every prospective leader needs to prepare early to make the most of their period of service when entrusted with a strategic position. “When you are in a position, make the most of that precious time to make life better,” Bima said.