Ministry of Home Affairs Holds National Development Orchestration Forum in Kalimantan
The Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) held the National Development Orchestration Forum in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, on Tuesday, 5 May 2026. This forum is part of the 2026 Outstanding Regional Government Appreciation series.
The forum, themed “Strategic Regional Synergy in Addressing Challenges and Strengthening National Competitiveness through Accelerating Unemployment Reduction, Poverty Alleviation, Stunting Reduction, Inflation Control, and Creative Financing,” featured Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Bima Arya Sugiarto; Governor of South Kalimantan Muhidin; Regent of Sukamara Masduki; Mayor of Bontang Neni Moerniaeni; moderated by Tempo journalist Rini Kustiani.
Deputy Minister Bima Arya stated that he fully understands the difficulties of being a regional head. According to him, there are three simultaneous challenges currently faced by regional leaders.
“The first is geopolitics,” he said. Bima did not expect the Iran-US War to require the Indonesian government to monitor its developments, extending to issues in the Strait of Hormuz. Similarly, phenomena like BRICS and others.
“But today, what happens in the geopolitical context can impact regions more directly than before. It is related to fuel prices, invasions, food, and so on,” he said. “So, the current global context is very challenging and different,” he added.
Secondly, Arya continued, challenges from the national side. “This is a new era, new leaders, new ways, a new era, with an ideology that can be said to show its own uniqueness.”
According to Arya, many national programmes today must be overseen together. Such as Free Nutritious Meals, Village Cooperatives, People’s Schools, Garuda Schools, Fisherman Villages, and others. “This is different from previous eras that may have focused on grand designs for large infrastructure.”
Thirdly, related to electoral promises. Kemendagri understands that regional heads also have obligations to meet basic needs and fulfil commitments; if not implemented, their political positions will certainly be limited. “Global, national, and local. These are very challenging,” he said. Bima also urged regional heads to be capable, skilled, and intelligent in managing their governments, as conveyed by President Prabowo Subianto.
Meanwhile, Governor of South Kalimantan Muhidin said that Siti Hawa Lari (Integrated Duck Farming System in Swamp and Dry Land) and the Healthy, Cheerful, Innovative, Resilient, and Active Youth Movement to Build the Nation Together (Germas Cinta Banua) are two programmes that can address poverty and stunting reduction in his region.
Regent of Sukamara Masduki said he continues to implement cheap food movements, LPG market operations, market inspections, quick-harvest planting movements, assistance for farmers and fishermen, and distribution of direct cash assistance for inflation control.
“We also continue to innovate for inflation control, including Preman Laskar and Kompak Ayam,” said Masduki. “Kompak Ayam has become our flagship innovation for price stability,” he added.
Mayor of Bontang Neni Moerniani, at the forum, said she has innovations for reducing unemployment rates through the Teman Naker Application, Handak Bagawi Innovation, Sipelaris Innovation, and Pelajaran Innovation. She also has sustainability strategies to support unemployment reduction in her area.
“Synergy is carried out between government, business, education, and society to create more quality job and entrepreneurship opportunities,” she said. The synergies include strengthening human resource competencies, increasing job opportunities, developing entrepreneurship, multi-stakeholder synergy and collaboration, utilising technology and innovation, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation. “All of this is done to reduce the open unemployment rate in Bontang.”
Previously, Kemendagri has set a strategic policy in the form of performance appreciation for regional governments as an instrument to strengthen regional governance based on performance and results. According to the Head of the Domestic Policy Strategy Agency, Kemendagri, Yusharto Huntoyungo, this policy is not only intended as a form of appreciation but also as a comprehensive evaluation mechanism to ensure that every policy and programme implemented by regional governments truly has a real impact on society.
There are 144 regions that will receive incentives in this appreciation, divided into six regions: Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java-Bali, Sulawesi, Maluku and Nusa Tenggara, and Papua. The activity process has been ongoing since February 2026, and the appreciation in the six regions is planned to be completed in May 2026.