Overseeing Village Governance through the Jaga Desa Awards 2026
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The commitment to building transparent and accountable village governance received recognition through the ABPEDNAS Jaga Desa Awards 2026 ceremony on Sunday (19/4/2026). This event serves as appreciation for strengthening the role of the Village Consultative Body (BPD) in maintaining transparency in village-level financial governance.
The event is a collaboration between the National Village Consultative Body Association (ABPEDNAS) and PT Navaswara Bhuwana Kencana.
“ABPEDNAS is not only a channel for village community aspirations but also safeguards the pulse of local democracy and ensures that every village policy truly benefits its residents,” said ABPEDNAS General Chairman Indra Utama in his statement on Sunday (26/4/2026).
This strategic step gained momentum when ABPEDNAS forged synergy with the Republic of Indonesia Attorney General’s Office through the Jaksa Garda Desa (Jaga Desa) Programme, initiated by Deputy Attorney General for Intelligence Reda Manthovani.
Since its launch in 2023, the programme has introduced an integrated village financial governance reporting system based on collaborative oversight. Village budget management is moving towards more transparent standards.
“We want to ensure that every rupiah of village funds truly reaches and benefits the community without causing legal problems,” said Reda.
He emphasised that Jaga Desa is not merely an oversight instrument. More than that, the programme is designed as preventive guidance for village apparatus.
“The Attorney General’s Office is present to provide legal education so that village officials have adequate understanding and are not hesitant in implementing development programmes for community welfare,” explained Reda.
Attorney General of the Republic of Indonesia ST Burhanuddin affirmed that the Jaksa Garda Desa or Jaga Desa programme is a real manifestation of the Attorney General’s Office’s commitment to nurturing and overseeing village governance to operate transparently, accountably, and protected from various legal violations. Through this initiative, the Attorney General’s Office seeks to provide strategic guidance to village apparatus so that all grassroots governance processes remain within the proper legal framework while staying far from deviant practices.
This initiative aligns with the national development vision championed by President Prabowo Subianto. Through the fourth and sixth Asta Cita, the President emphasised the importance of strengthening human resources, education, and development from the village level as the foundation for equitable economic distribution and poverty alleviation. Villages, in this context, are positioned as centres of people’s economic growth.
Presidential Special Envoy for Energy and Environmental Affairs Hashim Djojohadikusumo stated that ABPEDNAS plays a crucial role in overseeing various strategic government programmes such as the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG), as well as the importance of monitoring the quality and distribution of field implementation to ensure optimal execution.
Through various programmes like Jaga Desa, Jaga Dapur MBG, and Jaga Indonesia Pintar, the Attorney General’s Office also serves as a strategic partner in driving village progress. The awards ceremony was held at the Fairmont Jakarta Hotel and crowned the best villages from across Indonesia in several strategic categories.
Managing Director of PT Navaswara Bhuwana Kencana Cahaya Manthovani conveyed that the entire series of events received positive responses from various parties.
“We are grateful that the entire ABPEDNAS Jaga Desa Awards 2026 series ran smoothly and as planned, with positive responses from stakeholders indicating strong collective commitment to promoting transparent and sustainable village governance,” said Cahaya.
The ABPEDNAS Jaga Desa Awards 2026 determined national-level winners in several categories, including orderly village financial management, compliance with Jaga Desa application data entry, and the ABPEDNAS Jaksa Garda Desa 2026 short film competition.