Not Just a Position: Bima Arya Says Regional Heads Must Have Statecraft Skills
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Bima Arya Sugiarto has commended various innovations by regional governments in responding to development challenges. He stressed that regional heads today are required to possess adaptive, skilled leadership capable of reading both global and local dynamics.
According to Bima, the complexity of challenges facing regional heads is far greater than in previous periods. In addition to responding to the impact of global geopolitics on inflation and economic stability, regional governments are also demanded to quickly adapt to national policies while fulfilling local community needs.
“I currently fully understand the inner turmoil of how difficult it is to be a regional head. There are three simultaneous challenges faced, which differ from the first generation of directly elected regional heads,” Bima stated in his remarks in Jakarta on Tuesday.
He detailed that these challenges include global pressures directly impacting the regional economy, evolving national policy dynamics, and demands to realise political promises and public services.
Bima also emphasised the importance of applying the concept of statecraft in regional governance. He quoted the President’s directive that regional heads cannot rely solely on intelligence but must also be skilled and trustworthy.
“Intelligence alone is not enough. They must be technically skilled, and most importantly, reliable or trustworthy,” he said.
In efforts to increase Regional Original Revenue (PAD), Bima cited various innovative practices in several regions, such as optimising billboard management, improving parking systems, and strengthening partnerships with the private sector that add value to regional income.
Additionally, he underscored the importance of cross-sectoral synergy that does not always need to go through formal institutional approaches, but rather directly targets strategic issues with real impacts on society.
“The goal is for this synergy not to stop at forums, but to be implemented in concrete actions that directly address sectoral issues,” Bima said.
On the same occasion, South Kalimantan Governor Muhidin outlined his region’s innovations in reducing poverty and improving community welfare. One of them is the SITI HAWA LARI programme (Integrated Duck Livestock System in Swamp and Dry Lands), which is considered effective in increasing community income.