DPD RI Awards Commitment Elevates Regional Leaders to National Stage
Chairman of the Regional Representative Council (DPD RI) Sultan B Najamudin has said that the DPD RI Awards 2026 represent an effort to elevate the work of regional development champions to the national stage. He stated that Indonesia’s development strength rests on the hard work of communities across the archipelago.
This year, the DPD RI Awards are being held again with four award categories. Members of the public can nominate themselves or other candidates via the official DPD RI Awards website at https://awards.dpd.go.id.
Sultan B Najamudin said the DPD Awards are held to provide a stage of honour for inspirational figures from various regions who have been working and contributing in tangible ways without national public attention.
“Through this event, the DPD RI wants to emphasise that Indonesia’s development strength rests on the initiative and hard work of communities across the entire archipelago, not only on the central government and major cities,” said Sultan (28/10/2025).
Sultan also explained that the award simultaneously reflects the aspirations of the people that the DPD RI champions at the central level. He reminded that DPD RI members are direct representatives of regional interests who bring the people’s voice into national policy.
According to him, there are still many community figures who are in fact agents of change and drivers of regional progress in various strategic sectors but have not received adequate appreciation.
“Several categories are appropriate to be given to regional people or regional figures whose contributions are indeed quite significant,” he said.
The contributions of the candidates and finalists, Sultan continued, cover the education, social, health, tourism, creative economy, cultural, and environmental conservation sectors. The DPD Award is expected to strengthen the spirit of these figures to continue inspiring and expanding the impact of their work in society.
In the DPD RI Awards 2025 ceremony last year, Chairman Sultan B Najamudin assured that the event provides space for regional heroes who have been working to advance their regions in various fields. He said the event is also an aspiration of regional communities.
“We are 152 DPD members, which when converted represents nearly 80 million regional citizens who have entrusted their mandate to us. That is why through the DPD Awards we want to identify and discover so much untapped potential, local heroes, local champions. Regional people who contribute and participate significantly to regional progress in their respective fields but have not yet been noticed,” Sultan explained at the DPD RI Awards 2025 at the Tribrata Hotel and Convention, South Jakarta, Tuesday (28/10/2025).
Sultan assured that the DPD RI leadership cannot intervene in the selection of award winners. He said the judges involved are capable and independent.
“We will see the categories later, because we are not allowed to intervene either. There are categories for tourism, culture, women and children, education, social affairs, and many more. We involve judges who are capable, independent, and transparent. The leadership also cannot intervene; even at this moment I do not know who the winners are,” he said.