Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian Overhauls Assessment System for Outstanding Regional Government Award to Ensure Fair Competition for Smaller Regions

JAKARTA – Home Affairs Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian stated that the assessment for the 2026 Outstanding Regional Government Award is now conducted on a regional basis to ensure smaller regions with lower fiscal capacity have a fair chance to compete.

He made the announcement at the 2026 Regional Sulawesi Outstanding Regional Government Award ceremony held at Claro Hotel in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, on Friday, May 29, 2026.

Tito explained that the award scheme was restructured regionally after the ministry found that national-level competitions were typically won by regions with larger fiscal capacity.

‘For instance, West Sulawesi has a weak regional budget, as does Southeast Sulawesi. Even with strong governors, they cannot compete against West Java, Central Java, or Jakarta with budgets of up to Rp90 trillion,’ he said.

As a result, the ministry has divided the assessment into six regions across Indonesia. Following Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Nusa Tenggara, Sulawesi is now hosting its regional award ceremony.

He stated that the evaluation is conducted quantitatively using official data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) and the Regional Government Information System (SIPD), ensuring objective and transparent results.

‘We focus on quantifiable metrics such as unemployment, poverty, and inflation control. The data from BPS cannot be faked,’ he added.

Tito also admitted he does not know which regions will win before the announcement. ‘I don’t know who won either, honestly. If anyone doesn’t receive an award, I apologise. The numbers don’t lie,’ he said.