Forkopimda Sulawesi Dialogue: Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian Emphasises Social Conflict Prevention

Home Affairs Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian emphasised the importance of strengthening social conflict prevention systems at the regional level to detect and address potential unrest early before it escalates into major conflicts. He made the remarks during a meeting with Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Retired General Djamari Chaniago, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) Chief Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, and members of the Sulawesi Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) at the Southeast Sulawesi Governor’s Office on Saturday, 30 May 2026.

Tito stated that social conflict management must be coordinated through three key phases: prevention, conflict resolution, and post-conflict recovery. He stressed the need for synergy between local governments, security forces, and community leaders to maintain regional stability.

‘Conflicts must be prevented from escalating into riots, followed by reconciliation and recovery. This is a crucial point I wish to convey to all regional leaders,’ Tito said. To support this, local governments are urged to establish and optimise Integrated Social Conflict Handling Teams comprising regional authorities, TNI, police, State Intelligence Agency (BIN), and prosecutors.

During the prevention phase, Tito advocated for enhanced early detection and early warning systems through inter-agency data integration. For conflict resolution, regional authorities and security forces must act swiftly and firmly to quell potential physical clashes or violence threatening stability. ‘It is also vital to involve the Interfaith Harmony Forum (FKUB), customary leaders, religious figures, and community elders as frontline defenders of social harmony at grassroots level,’ he added.

BPS Chief Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti praised Sulawesi’s regional governments for their commitment to supporting statistical data provision. She noted that BPS will soon conduct an economic census requiring full support from provincial, city, and district administrations.

‘All Sulawesi regional leaders have committed to supporting the Economic Census,’ Amalia said. ‘This is crucial for generating accurate data to inform development policy formulation.’

Amalia also outlined the national economy’s positive performance amid global uncertainties, with first-quarter 2026 growth at 5.06%, controlled inflation, maintained trade surplus, and stable consumer purchasing power.

In Sulawesi, first-quarter 2026 economic growth was notably strong. Central Sulawesi led at 8.32%, followed by Gorontalo at 7.68%, South Sulawesi at 6.23%, North Sulawesi at 5.56%, and West Sulawesi at 5.19%.

However, high economic growth does not necessarily translate to improved public welfare. ‘The challenge is ensuring this growth generates a greater multiplier effect for local communities,’ she said.

Amalia explained that Sulawesi’s economic structure has significantly changed over 15 years. In 2011, manufacturing contributed 10.54% to the regional economy, rising to 27.26% in 2026 due to downstreaming and industrialisation programmes. Manufacturing now drives regional growth by boosting productivity and commodity value addition.

Four Sulawesi provinces—Central Sulawesi, Gorontalo, South Sulawesi, and Southeast Sulawesi—are among the nation’s top eight fastest-growing regions, with manufacturing as the primary driver. Central Sulawesi’s manufacturing sector grew 15.1%, Gorontalo 29.43%, South Sulawesi 10.5% (boosted by food industry and exports), and Southeast Sulawesi 10.44% (thanks to nickel and metal industries.

Despite these achievements, poverty remains a challenge. Gorontalo’s poverty rate stands at 6.12% despite 7.68% growth, while Central Sulawesi’s is 10.2%.

This indicates economic growth has not fully translated into better job quality and income levels. ‘Unemployment in Sulawesi is relatively low compared to the national average, but the task is creating decent work with wages sufficient to meet living costs,’ Amalia said.