Political Capital Demands Repayment
The disparity between passenger numbers and manifests is a serious finding. The rampant corruption cases ensnaring regional heads have once again exposed the issue of high political costs in regional head elections (pilkada). The problem is not solely about the integrity of officials once in power, but also how the high cost of obtaining power can create an urge to recoup political capital after being elected.
Minister of Home Affairs Muhammad Tito Karnavian stressed that the integrity of regional heads is key to realising a clean, effective, and accountable regional government. According to Tito, the government continues to strengthen guidance and supervision to minimise corrupt practices. However, supervision cannot be carried out on regional heads at all times. Ultimately, the prevention of these extraordinary crimes also depends on the personal integrity of the regional head.
“Our regional head colleagues are not inexperienced. On average, they are politicians who have struggled, participated in campaigns, and are known to the public. We also cannot supervise and guard them 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Everything will come back to each individual,” Tito said during a Coordination Meeting on Strengthening Integrity and Corruption Prevention in Regional Government Administration in Surabaya, East Java, some time ago. Tito reminded regional heads to maintain their commitment to anti-corruption principles and not be tempted to violate the law. However, the explanation regarding individual integrity has not fully answered why corruption by regional heads continues to recur.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) sees another issue that contributes to this, namely the high political costs in elections and pilkada. Chairman of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR RI) Ahmad Muzani said that President Prabowo Subianto expressed concern over the many regional heads arrested for these extraordinary crimes during a meeting with MPR RI leaders at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta. “He is very concerned about the various events occurring in the regions, that many regional heads are then trapped in corruption. Therefore, he asked that this issue be given serious attention to be thought about,” said Muzani.
Muzani conveyed that this concern arose because regional head corruption cases occur within an expensive, unique, and exhausting democratic process to form regional government administration. The issue of the democratisation process and regional government administration was also highlighted by President Prabowo in the concept of the Broad Outlines of State Policy (PPHN) submitted by the MPR RI leadership. “The President pays great attention to various points, including the democratisation process and so on,” Muzani explained.
On a separate occasion, KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo said corruption is not born from a single factor. Besides individual integrity, system weaknesses can also open opportunities for irregularities. The KPK has even found a link between political funding support and the efforts of elected regional heads to gain profits after taking office. In the case of inactive Ponorogo Regent Sugiri Sancoko, for instance, the party suspected of being the political financier allegedly obtained access to manage projects and gain profits from government projects. A similar pattern was found in the case of inactive Langkat Regent Syah Afandin alias Ondim, where a private party that was part of the regional head’s campaign team allegedly obtained several work packages after the supported candidate was elected.
These findings indicate a risk of transactional relationships between political contestation and governmental power. Political support and funding provided before the election can potentially be repaid through access to government projects and resources after the candidate wins the contest. The KPK cites the high cost of campaigns and political costs as one of the fundamental issues that needs serious attention. This condition is a risk factor that can encourage corrupt practices, both before and after a person is elected as a public official.
This phenomenon is reflected in the many regional heads from the 2024 Pilkada who have subsequently become entangled in corruption cases. Based on KPK data up to 18 July 2026, as many as 15 regional heads resulting from the 2024 Pilkada have been caught in hand-arrest operations (OTT) and named as suspects in alleged corruption cases. Researcher from the Centre for Anti-Corruption Studies (PUKAT) at the Faculty of Law, Gadjah Mada University (FH UGM), Zaenur Rohman, assesses that the high political costs in pilkada are the main factor causing regional head corruption to recur repeatedly. These political costs largely originate from illegal practices such as candidacy buying, or purchasing nomination tickets from political parties, and vote buying, or money politics towards voters.
After being elected, regional heads are driven to commit corruption to return their political capital while also preparing funds for the next contest. Besides the high political costs, weak supervision in the regions also opens space for abuse of authority. Supervision by the Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD) is considered ineffective, while the Government Internal Supervisory Apparatus (APIP) has not been able to detect violations early on. As a result, irregularities are often only uncovered after reaching the enforcement stage by law enforcement officials. This condition is even more vulnerable in regions with local politics characterised by oligarchy or political dynasties, causing checks and balances mechanisms to not function optimally. To break this chain, Zaenur urges the reduction of political costs and strict law enforcement against money politics, including criminal and administrative sanctions in the form of candidate disqualification. On the other hand, the supervisory function of the DPRD needs to be revitalised and APIP must be strengthened to be more independent. Zaenur also encourages strengthening the deterrent effect against corruptors through maximum criminal charges, confiscation of assets resulting from crime, and revocation of political rights so that perpetrators cannot hold public office again.