Home Affairs Minister Urges Local Governments to Strengthen Political and Security Stability

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Muhammad Tito Karnavian asked regional governments (Pemda) to safeguard and strengthen political stability, security, and public order in their regions, including by strengthening the Forum for Regional Leaders Coordination (Forkopimda), the Forum for Religious Harmony (FKUB), and the Integrated Team for Handling Social Conflicts (TPKS). Mendagri, in a statement in Jakarta, on Tuesday, assessed that Forkopimda has a very strategic role because it is a forum that unites all regional leaders who have broad authority in maintaining stability, security, and order. “I see three things in the regions that are very important to maintain stability, politics, and security in each region. The first is Forkopimda, because it is a forum of all leaders who have power; there are Pangdam (regional military commander), Kapolda (police chief of province), Kajari (head of prosecutor’s office), Kapolres (police resort), Kajati (attorney general’s office), Kabinda (head of regional intelligence), it is very influential,” Tito said while giving directions at the Coordination Meeting of Forkopimda for Maluku and Nusa Tenggara. The event was titled The Role of the Central Government in Realising Increased Synergy to Maintain Harmony, Security, and Public Order. Tito said FKUB plays an important role in maintaining social harmony, especially in areas vulnerable to religious issues. However, one of FKUB’s challenges in the regions today is the limited budget support, so its manoeuvrability is limited. Mendagri also asked the Pemda to form and activate the TPKS Team. According to him, there are still regions that have not formed or optimised the team. The formation of TPKS is a mandate of regulations, among others Law Number 7 of 2012 on Handling Social Conflicts, reinforced by Law Number 23 of 2014 on Regional Government, as well as other derivative regulations. Mendagri adds that the team plays a crucial role in drawing up action plans for handling social conflict, from prevention of conflict, cessation of conflict, to post-conflict recovery in the region. Tito explained that the main agenda of the NTB activities was, in essence, to award high-performing regional governments in the Maluku and Nusa Tenggara region. However, by agreement with the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polkam), the forum then also became a momentum for coordinating Forkopimda. This coordination meeting (Rakor) was also attended by Menko Polkam Djamari Chaniago, Minister for Housing and Settlement Areas (PKP) Maruarar Sirait, Governor of NTB Lalu Muhamad Iqbal, Governor of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, Governor of Maluku Hendrik Lewerissa, Governor of North Maluku Sherly Tjoanda, and Forkopimda ranks from Maluku and Nusa Tenggara.