Home Affairs Minister Warns Corruption and Waste Could Erode Public Trust
Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Muhammad Tito Karnavian has emphasised the importance of maintaining integrity and efficiency in local government management. He made this statement in response to ongoing cases of corruption and budgetary waste that could broadly impact the image of regional heads.
He stressed that the two primary concerns are corrupt practices and inefficiencies in budget utilisation.
“Please, fellow regional heads, take good care of yourselves and your policies. Especially regarding corruption cases and inefficiency cases. These two—corruption and inefficiency, waste,” Tito said in a written statement on Tuesday (21/4/2026).
He expressed this during the All-Indonesia City Government Association (APEKSI) forum in Banda Aceh on Monday (20/4).
He explained that current public perceptions are heavily influenced by media reporting. When Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) sting operations or budget waste cases occur, the impact is not limited to individuals but can extend to entire local governments (Pemda).
Tito stated that this situation could affect trust levels between regions and the central government. He noted that preserved trust is a crucial factor in supporting the smooth submission of regional budgets such as General Allocation Funds (DAU), Specific Allocation Funds (DAK), and Revenue Sharing Funds (DBH).
Nevertheless, he appreciated the many regional heads who have performed well and introduced various innovations. However, in his view, these positive achievements are often overshadowed by negative news that spreads more quickly or goes viral.
He provided a simple analogy: hundreds of thousands of people may work well, but one mistake that draws public attention can shape an unbalanced perception. Therefore, he encouraged regional head associations to be more active in building positive narratives by consistently publicising regional achievements and innovations.
In addition to strengthening governance, Tito also emphasised the importance of transparent public communication. According to him, corruption prevention efforts must go hand in hand with information openness and the publication of local government performance.
This is part of the central government’s efforts to promote integrity strengthening in the regions. In his opinion, harmonious relations between the central and regional governments are greatly supported by trust built through good performance and positive public perceptions.
“So, this is a matter of perception, besides us improving, of course. Improving to be really careful about corrupt practices,” he concluded.