Rico Waas Urges APEKSI National Meeting to Produce Real Action for Regions

Medan Mayor Rico Waas is encouraging all regional heads who are members of the Association of Indonesian City Governments (APEKSI) to make the 18th APEKSI National Working Meeting a momentum to produce real solutions for city development, not just recommendations. The invitation was conveyed at the 18th APEKSI National Working Meeting opened by Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Bima Arya Sugiarto at the Grand City Hall Medan on Wednesday (1/7). The opening was marked by the beating of the Gordang Sambilan by Bima Arya, accompanied by Rico Waas, APEKSI Chairman Eri Cahyadi, and APEKSI Executive Director Alwis Rustam. Carrying the theme ‘Resilient Cities, Sovereign Nation’, Rico hopes that all discussions will result in concrete steps to strengthen fiscal resilience, increase locally generated revenue, build infrastructure, and address various urban challenges. ‘This forum must not stop on paper. The commitments built must become real actions that are felt by the community,’ Rico said. Similarly, North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution encouraged that the meeting produce recommendations not only for the central government but also for provincial governments, which are believed to strengthen regional development synergy. Rico also expressed pride in Medan being chosen as the host for the event, which runs from 28 June to 4 July 2026. The meeting features various agendas, including Youth City Changers, thematic forums, a Ladies Program, and the Indonesia City Expo. On the same occasion, Rico introduced the QRESTO restaurant tax digitalisation innovation, a collaboration between the Medan City Government, Bank Indonesia, and Bank Sumut. Through this system, restaurant taxes are automatically deposited into the Regional General Cash Account, increasing transparency and reducing potential revenue leakage. Deputy Home Minister Bima Arya Sugiarto noted that regional heads currently face significant challenges, ranging from global dynamics and national policies to fulfilling political promises and navigating social media developments. He therefore encouraged city governments to continue innovating to increase locally generated revenue, utilise alternative financing schemes, and strengthen city branding. APEKSI Chairman Eri Cahyadi stated that the national meeting serves as a platform to strengthen inter-city collaboration. He emphasised that the spirit of APEKSI is to share innovations so that no city is left behind in facing various development challenges.