Home Affairs Minister Urges Java-Bali Regional Leaders to Maintain Political Stability

Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian has issued a stern warning to all regional heads that political and security stability is an absolute requirement for development programmes and poverty alleviation efforts to run effectively. He affirmed this after attending the 2026 Outstanding Regional Government Appreciation event for the Java-Bali region at the Marriott Hotel in Sleman, Yogyakarta, on Thursday evening. According to him, without a conducive political situation, various economic and physical development programmes will struggle to achieve optimal results. ‘Without a conducive political situation, physical and economic development programmes will not run optimally,’ Tito told the regional heads. The Home Affairs Minister explained that political stability is the primary foundation. He also expressed appreciation for regional leaders who have managed to maintain good governance amidst the challenges of the times. ‘Despite some regions possibly facing legal issues, the fact is that quite a number of regional heads are conscientious, accomplished, and capable of handling poverty and unemployment well,’ he added. The government announced plans for the next wave of assessment for approximately 6,000 regions under different categories. This process will be strictly monitored until the end of November to ensure objectivity and uphold the dignity of regional government. Tito stressed that he is directly overseeing the assessment process for the 2026 Outstanding Regional Government Appreciation. This is to guarantee that the results truly represent the best performance on the ground. ‘I am overseeing it, and I declare that this is a matter of integrity. Otherwise, it will lose its dignity,’ the Home Affairs Minister asserted. He assured that the assessment is accountable as it uses quantitative indicators that are open to the public. Beyond poverty and stunting issues, the focus of regional government monitoring is also on inflation control. Tito revealed that the current national inflation condition is in a safe category. ‘We monitor inflation weekly on a national level, and thank God it stands at 3.0 per cent, below the maximum target of 3.5 per cent. This is a good target. This means there is economic growth while inflation remains well maintained,’ he concluded. Through this competitive assessment system, the Home Affairs Ministry hopes that regions which have excelled can maintain their performance, while regions still below target are spurred to make improvements for the welfare of the people in their respective areas.