Gerindra Criticises West Manggarai's Unqualified Opinion as Mere 'Lipstick'

The Gerindra faction of the West Mangbarai Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) has highlighted concerns regarding the Unqualified Opinion (WTP) issued by the Audit Board of Indonesia (BPK) for the West Manggarai Regency Government’s 2025 fiscal year financial reports. This marks the eighth consecutive time the West Manggarai Regency Government has achieved a WTP opinion.

For the Gerindra faction, a WTP opinion does not imply an absence of problems in government governance. They argued that the WTP opinion is merely ‘lipstick’ on the surface of local financial management amidst various ongoing issues in 2025.

“The Gerindra faction must emphasise that WTP should not be used as a reason for complacency. WTP does not mean there are no problems. WTP does not mean all programmes are running effectively. WTP does not mean local government governance is free from weaknesses,” stated Kanisius Jehabut, a member of the Gerindra faction in the West Manggarai DPRD, on Monday (8/6/2026).

Kanisius made these remarks while reading the Gerindra faction’s general view on the Draft Regional Regulation (Ranperda) regarding the Accountability of the Implementation of the 2025 West Manggarai Regency Regional Budget (APBD) during a plenary session of the West Manggarai DPRD. The session was attended by the Vice Regent of West Manggarai, Yulianus Weng.

Kanisius asserted that a WTP opinion serves only as ‘lipstick’ for governance if it is celebrated merely as a ceremony while underlying issues persist. These include significant unutilised budgets resulting in a large Budget Surplus (SiLPA), inadequate infrastructure, and recurring BPK findings across various Regional Government Agencies (OPD).

“If WTP is only celebrated as a ceremony, while SiLPA remains high, capital expenditure is low, basic infrastructure is inadequate, BPK findings continue to recur, and strategic regional regulations are not optimally implemented, then WTP will only be lipstick for government governance,” said Kanisius.

The Gerindra faction emphasised that the true measure of local government success is not merely WTP status or revenue figures. Instead, success should be measured by the extent to which the regional budget can provide road access, develop destinations, stimulate local food production, reduce regional inequality, improve public services, and enhance people’s welfare.

In a previous plenary session, Vice Regent Yulianus Weng reported that the West Manggarai Regency Government’s 2025 financial reports had once again received a WTP opinion from the BPK RI, marking the eighth consecutive time. During the announcement, Weng had requested the members of the West Manggarai DPRD to applaud the achievement.