One Year of Agustin-Iswar: Five Development Taglines Strengthen Governance and Fiscal Resilience
Semarang Mayor Agustina Wilujeng Pramestuti and Deputy Mayor Iswar Aminuddin (Agustin-Iswar) have presented their one-year governance performance report, which they describe as the foundation for accelerating development in the years ahead. Their efforts are reflected in accelerated infrastructure development, strengthened basic services, economic recovery and stimulus, and the introduction of a number of policy innovations in Semarang.
These achievements have, however, run in tandem with field-level challenges, budgetary constraints, and longstanding issues that remain unresolved. Nevertheless, the Semarang municipal government has recorded the highest Human Development Index (HDI) in Central Java, along with fiscal resilience capable of adapting to national efficiency policies.
Agustin-Iswar have implemented five development taglines: Semarang Bersih (Clean Semarang), Semarang Sehat (Healthy Semarang), Semarang Cerdas (Smart Semarang), Semarang Makmur (Prosperous Semarang), and Semarang Tangguh (Resilient Semarang). These five taglines have been integrated into interconnected work programmes, forming a cycle of sustainable transformation.
The results are not merely the 25 national and regional awards received, but a systemic foundation that has raised citizen satisfaction to 83.6 per cent (Kompas Research and Development Survey) and pushed the 2025 HDI to 85.80, placing it in the “very high” category.
This governance resilience has run in parallel with adaptive fiscal dynamics. The 2025 fiscal year realisation report shows solid regional revenue realisation at 92.31 per cent, with a success story marked by paradox: the entertainment and culinary sectors surged to become fiscal saviours, whilst the accommodation sector came under pressure.
Fiscal Resilience: The Grassroots Economy as Primary Buffer
Amid the impact of Presidential Instruction (Inpres) No. 1 of 2025 on government expenditure efficiency, which slashed official travel budgets, Semarang recorded solid fiscal resilience. The contrasting 2025 locally-generated revenue (PAD) data shows: Entertainment Tax at 106.38 per cent (exceeding target), Restaurant Tax at 104.31 per cent (exceeding target), Hotel Tax at 79.10 per cent (below target), and Excess Financing Balance (SiLPA) of Rp186.9 billion.
These figures reflect the adaptive pulse of the local economy. When government official spending was cut, public purchasing power flowed strongly into the entertainment and culinary sectors. This demonstrates the resilience of the grassroots economy as a vital buffer.
“These figures are a tangible reflection of the extraordinary resilience of our citizens’ economy. When corporate and government official spending contracted, public purchasing power flowed strongly into the entertainment, culinary, and creative sectors. It is our MSMEs and creative economy players who have been the vital pillars of this city during these challenging times,” said Agustina.
The leadership of Agustina and her deputy, Iswar Aminuddin, has served as a driving axis that aligns all instruments of governance. When central government policies pressured certain sectors, the city’s strong foundations redirected economic energy towards more resilient sectors.
Five Taglines as the Foundation of Resilience
1. SEMARANG BERSIH (Clean Semarang): More than mere cleanliness, this tagline is about building a new culture of “Semarang Wegah Nyampah” (Semarang Refuses to Litter), where a community culture of refusing to litter is built from within the household through waste sorting. An orderly and clean city also forms the foundation for public health and investment attractiveness, reflected in per capita spending reaching Rp17.40 million per year.
To maintain comfort and cleanliness in Semarang, the city’s Environmental Agency has repaired and increased the number of containers and dump truck fleets, with the aim of managing residual waste collection from upstream to downstream. Semarang already has 454 containers and 237 temporary waste collection points as of 2025. These efforts have generated a circular economy impact of Rp570,233,661 and successfully managed 221,299 tonnes of waste.
The “Semarang Bersih” movement encompasses waste management from upstream to downstream, establishing 1,074 waste bank units and involving 35,411 participants.
Beyond waste management, realising Semarang Bersih has also been complemented by expanding conservation areas. The municipal government has carried out reforestation across 16.58 hectares of land, planted 46,510 seedlings, and constructed three green open spaces: Taman RBRA Abdurrahman Saleh, Taman Garoot, and Taman Dinar Mas Meteseh.
Semarang Bersih also extends beyond environmental matters to encompass a commitment to governance free from corruption, gratification, and illegal levies. The talent management award from the National Civil Service Agency (BKN) in January 2026 serves as evidence of Agustin-Iswar’s commitment to transforming the bureaucracy, placing officials according to expertise rather than patronage.
2. SEMARANG SEHAT (Healthy Semarang): Built on an ecosystem approach, Semarang achieved the title of Third Most Sustainable City in Indonesia (UI Green Metric 2025). The rehabilitation of 10,000 mangrove trees and proactive health services have contributed to a life expectancy of 78.72 years.
The first year of Agustin-Iswar’s leadership has also expanded Universal Health Coverage (UHC) membership. In 2024, there were 98,261 participants; under the Agustin-Iswar administration in 2025, UHC participants increased to 228,859 residents — a significant rise of 130,598 participants.
Health facilities have also improved, evidenced by the construction of four community health centres (Puskesmas): Puskesmas Tlogosari Kulon, Puskesmas Krobokan, Puskesmas Pegandan, and Puskesmas Genuk. Additionally, three auxiliary health centres (Pustu) were built: Pustu Ratu Ratih, Pustu Beringin, and Pustu Jabungan.
Agustin-Iswar have also been focused on addressing stunting. The targeted stunting intervention programme has successfully reduced stunting rates. In 2025, stunting incidence stood at 5,480 cases; through the Rumah Pelita daycare programme and municipal government mentoring, the figure was brought down to 3,560 cases.