Deputy Interior Minister Bima Arya: Regional Heads Face Global, National, and Local Challenges Simultaneously
Regional heads today face far more complex challenges than previous generations. This was stated by Deputy Interior Minister Bima Arya while attending the National Development Orchestration Forum as part of the Appreciation for High-Performing Regional Government Performance 2026 in the Kalimantan Region recently.
Bima Arya said that global geopolitical dynamics, changes in national policy directions, and local demands from the community represent the three main pressures that governors, regents, and mayors must address simultaneously. “Every leader has their time, and every era has its leaders. The current challenges are different and far more complex,” said Bima Arya in front of regional heads across Kalimantan.
The first challenge, according to Bima, comes from the global geopolitical situation. He stated that regional heads can no longer focus solely on local issues but must also understand the impact of international situations on their respective regions.
He cited examples such as conflicts in the Middle East, dynamics in the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran-US relations, which affect fuel prices, food inflation, and regional economic stability. “In the past, we didn’t think about monitoring the Iran-US war. Now, global situations directly impact regions, including inflation and food prices,” he said.
In addition to global challenges, Bima mentioned that regional heads must adapt to changes in national policies in the era of President Prabowo Subianto’s administration. According to him, the central government now has a new approach to state management that demands strong synchronisation between the centre and the regions. National programmes such as Free Nutritious Meals, People’s Schools, Garuda Schools, and Fisherman Villages, he said, are agendas that must be seriously overseen by regional governments.
“Some say it’s now returning to centralisation, others see it as a way to ensure aid truly reaches the people,” he said.
On the other hand, regional heads also face significant local pressures. They must fulfil political promises from campaigns, maintain bureaucratic stability, pay ASN performance allowances, and ensure basic services continue to run well. “Global, national, and local challenges are very difficult for regional heads today,” said Bima.
The Interior Ministry is currently striving to act as a facilitator and mediator for regional heads. According to him, Interior Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian regularly opens spaces for discussion and receives various complaints from regional heads regarding fiscal issues, bureaucracy, and synchronisation between central and regional policies.
Bima recounted that President Prabowo has repeatedly emphasised the importance of regional leaders who are not only intelligent but also skilled and trustworthy. “The President always conveys the importance of reliable, skilled, and intelligent leaders. Intelligence alone is not enough,” he said.
In the forum, Bima also touched on several best practices by regional heads deemed successful in innovating fiscal measures and increasing locally-generated revenue (PAD).
He exemplified regional heads who have significantly increased PAD through the regulation of advertisements, parking, and optimisation of regional assets. There are also regions that have successfully utilised the Government and Business Entity Cooperation (KPBU) scheme for infrastructure financing.
“There is a lot of creativity from regional heads that was previously unthinkable. Some have successfully monetised street lighting, while others have attracted ministerial assistance equivalent to their regional budget,” he stated.
According to Bima, it is this space for innovation that the central government is now encouraging for the regions. He also stressed the importance of cross-regional synergy and inter-regional cooperation in addressing concrete issues such as inflation, unemployment, and food security.
For example, inter-regional cooperation patterns in controlling inflation through the distribution of staple food commodities like chillies and onions. Such sectoral approaches, he said, are considered more effective than getting bogged down in formal institutional formation. “Sometimes sectoral issues can move faster without having to complicate institutional discussions,” said Bima.
He also assessed that Kalimantan holds a strategic position in national development, especially with the presence of the Nusantara Capital or IKN. Therefore, according to him, regions in Kalimantan will serve as a roadmap for Indonesia’s future cities.
Through the forum, the Interior Ministry hopes that concrete agendas will emerge to strengthen synchronisation between central and regional policies while accelerating development that directly impacts society.