President Jokowi to Governors: Central, Regional Government Programs Must Align

President Jokowi gives directives to all governors across Indonesia at the Garuda Palace in the capital of Nusantara, East Kalimantan province, on Tuesday (08/13). (Photo by: Rahmat/PR)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, accompanied by Vice President Ma’ruf Amin, delivered a special briefing to all governors across Indonesia in the Plenary Cabinet Meeting Room at the Garuda Palace, the new capital of Nusantara, East Kalimantan province, Tuesday (08/13).

The President emphasized that as representatives of the Central Government in their respective regions, the governors must ensure that their programs and policies align with the Central Government’s.

“This alignment is crucial so that governors can oversee and monitor regents and mayors, ensuring that regional areas remain in line with the Central Government, especially regarding strategic development priorities,” the President said.

President Jokowi then highlighted several strategic government projects that have not been fully utilized due to a lack of commitment and support from regional governments.

“I cite an example. High-cost facilities such as reservoirs are built by the Central Government. The primary irrigation system is also built by the Central Government. While the secondary and tertiary systems, which are necessary for connecting the water to the farms, should be handled by the provincial and regency governments,” he explained.

He also pointed out cases of access roads to key ports that regional governments failed to complete. He urged governors to seek assistance from the Central Government if they lack of budget to complete such projects.

“If there are budget constraints, it is allowed to request assistance from the Central Government. Just send a letter to Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing,” the President suggested.

He also asked governors to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each regency and city under their jurisdiction. According to him, governors should ensure that regional government programs are aligned with their purposes so that the benefits can be directly felt by the community.

“I have noticed that some regencies have very large budgets, but the directives of their programs are unclear, with much being spent on grants due to political purposes. If these budgets were better allocated, they could be used to build ten hospitals or universities, particularly for education and health sectors,” the President emphasized.

Therefore, the President instructed governors to continue overseeing regional government programs to ensure they align with the Central Government policies. He also encouraged to increase inter-regional cooperation so that regional governments can address issues collectively. (TGH/DNS) (EST/RA/LW)