Tito Reveals Awards to Local Governments Spark Competitive Climate Among Regions

Home Affairs Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian has affirmed that granting awards to local governments (Pemda) is one of the effective methods to create a healthy competitive climate among regions. “So, giving awards is one method to create a competitive climate so that regions can boost their performance more optimally,” stated the Minister during the 2026 Prestigious Local Government Appreciation Awards Night held at the Wyndham Opi Hotel in Palembang, South Sumatra, on Saturday (25/4/2026). He said that with 552 regions consisting of 38 provinces, 98 cities, and 416 regencies, Indonesia has high complexity in local governance. Therefore, an approach is needed that is not only based on supervision but also on awards. “I believe that we also need the Ministry of Home Affairs to provide carrots or award rewards to colleagues who are considered good,” said the Minister. Furthermore, this awarding is not merely ceremonial, but also to bring balance to information amid the prevalence of negative reporting about local governments. He emphasised that there are still many local leaders who perform well but have not been exposed. “There are many good regional heads, many regional heads who are struggling, going to the field to meet the community, entering the interior to meet their less fortunate communities, creatively making breakthroughs and innovations in various fields,” he revealed.