Facing Various Challenges, Deputy Home Affairs Minister Bima Arya Urges Regional Heads to Maintain Integrity
Deputy Home Affairs Minister Bima Arya Sugiarto has reminded regional heads to consistently maintain integrity in governance. Clean leadership serves as the primary foundation for achieving sustainable regional development while improving public welfare.
He delivered this message as the keynote speaker at the Regional Autonomy Dialogue themed ‘Strategy for Achieving Regional Fiscal Independence’ during the 26th anniversary of the Association of Indonesian Regency Governments (APKASI) at the Medistra Health Institute Hall, Deli Serdang Regency, North Sumatra, on Thursday (2/7/2026).
Bima emphasised that regional heads currently face increasingly complex challenges. Beyond geopolitical dynamics, they must also oversee national priority programmes, fulfil campaign promises, and navigate the rapidly evolving digital media landscape.
‘Today, regional heads face four tests: geopolitics, overseeing national priority programmes, fulfilling campaign promises, and confronting highly dynamic media algorithms. It is far from easy and requires strategies aligned with contemporary algorithms,’ he stated on Friday, 3 July 2026.
Amidst these challenges, Bima cautioned regional heads not to neglect integrity in every policy decision. He expressed hope that regents would complete their terms successfully through clean, innovative, and public service-oriented leadership.
According to Bima, integrity must be accompanied by the ability to deliver innovation to strengthen regional fiscal independence. Regional heads are required to optimise local potential through various breakthroughs so that development continues without disregarding the principles of good governance.
He explained that the Ministry of Home Affairs maps the characteristics of regional heads based on the condition of the Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBD) and the quality of public services. Regions with a ‘transformer’ character, he noted, are capable of increasing fiscal capacity while simultaneously improving service quality to the public.
‘Alternative regional revenues and financing through the Government Cooperation with Business Entities (KPBU) scheme have been successfully implemented in various regencies,’ he said.
Additionally, Bima encouraged regency governments to support the Village Head Enters University Programme initiated by the Ministry of Home Affairs through the Directorate General of Village Governance Development. The programme aims to enhance the capacity of village heads in data mastery, development planning, and the development of village potential as a driver of regional economic growth.