Strengthening Village Institutions: PABPDSI Urges Certainty for BPD Allowances
The Central Board of the Association of Village Consultative Body Members of Indonesia (PP PABPDSI) is pushing for the establishment of national standards for the welfare and operational capacity of the Village Consultative Body (BPD) institutions.
This initiative was pursued through an audience between the General Chairman of PP PABPDSI, Fery Radiansyah, and the Chief of Presidential Staff, General TNI (Ret.) Dudung Abdurrachman, at the Presidential Staff Office in Jakarta on Wednesday (16/9).
During the meeting, PABPDSI presented two primary proposals for the 2027 Fiscal Year. Fery emphasised that the BPD plays a vital role in agreeing upon Village Regulations, accommodating community aspirations, and supervising the performance of Village Heads. However, he noted that these significant responsibilities are not yet balanced by adequate welfare support and operational funding.
“Strengthening the BPD is not enough through the mere addition of tasks and responsibilities. The state must also provide certainty regarding welfare and adequate operational support so that the BPD can perform its constitutional functions to the maximum,” Fery asserted.
Regarding legal certainty, the proposed allowances are based on Article 62 of Law No. 6 of 2014 concerning Villages (as amended by Law No. 3 of 2024) and Government Regulation No. 16 of 2026. The central government’s minimum standard is intended to serve as a reference for Regent/Mayor Regulations.
“Rp1 million is the minimum limit, not the maximum. Regions with greater financial capacity can certainly set higher allowances. The most important thing is that no BPD members receive allowances that are too low or inhumane,” Fery explained.
Regarding the requirement for a minimum of 2% of the Village Fund for operations, this allocation is deemed necessary for absorbing aspirations, supervision, and field visits. PABPDSI is urging the Ministry of Villages to explicitly include this regulation in the technical guidelines for the 2027 Fiscal Year.
“So far, many BPD members have had to use personal funds to carry out their institutional duties. Without clear operational support, it is impossible for the BPD to perform its supervisory function optimally,” said Fery. “BPD operational budgets are not merely a burden, but an investment to strengthen transparency, community participation, accountability, and the supervision of Village Budget (APB Desa) usage.”
Fery emphasised that these proposals are designed to create an equal working partnership at the village level, rather than competing with Village Heads. “The BPD is not an opponent of the Village Head, but a strategic partner. A strong BPD will strengthen the village government as a whole.”
Responding to these aspirations, Chief of Presidential Staff Dudung Abdurrachman welcomed the PABPDSI proposals. The Presidential Staff Office (KSP) is expected to oversee cross-ministerial coordination before the 2027 Village Fund policies are finalised.
“We are not asking for anything excessive. A minimum allowance of Rp1 million and 2% for operations are rational needs to maintain the quality of village institutions. We hope the government will be present and provide certainty starting from the 2027 Fiscal Year,” concluded Fery.