Regional Leaders’ Retreat Reinforces New Direction for Development Toward a Prosperous Indonesia
Jatinangor – The government has once again demonstrated its strong commitment to aligning central and regional efforts to realize development that is faster, more equitable, and people-centered. Through the strategic forum of the Second Batch of the Regional Leaders’ Retreat, cross-ministerial and inter-regional synergy was reaffirmed as the key to the successful implementation of national priority programs.
The retreat served as a crucial platform for regional leaders to receive direct guidance from key ministers, including the Minister of National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas, Rachmat Pambudy, and the Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana. Both underscored the importance of harmonizing the visions of central and regional governments to effectively address development challenges on the ground.
“We begin by addressing the most basic needs: food, water, and energy. We aim to jointly realize the Asta Cita, 17 National Priority Programs, and 8 Fast Track Programs,” emphasized Rachmat.
He explained that the central government is no longer merely issuing top-down policies but is also increasingly absorbing input from regions to ensure participatory and context-driven planning.
As an example, Rachmat highlighted the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program as a tangible symbol of the state’s presence.
“There’s a strong demand for national programs like MBG to deliver real benefits to people in the regions. Therefore, the speed and accuracy of implementation is a shared responsibility,” he added.
Echoing this, BGN Head Dadan Hindayana stressed the strategic role of local governments in ensuring the success of MBG. He outlined three essential roles for local governments: preparing infrastructure, building supply chains, and delivering the program to priority groups such as pregnant women and young children.
“We cannot do this alone. Local governments are central to the MBG program’s success,” Dadan stated.
He also expressed optimism about the readiness of human resources and logistics.
“By the end of July, we aim to deploy 30,000 trained personnel to the regions. With harmonized synergy, acceleration is possible,” he said.
Dadan expressed hope for even closer and more responsive central-local coordination in the future, moving away from top-down mechanisms to dialogue-based and locally attuned approaches.
This retreat is a pivotal moment to ensure that the national development policy direction is truly aligned from the central government down to the village level. From improving basic infrastructure and strengthening village economies to mainstreaming human rights in regional policies, all efforts are directed toward a single goal: public welfare.
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Bima Arya Sugiarto, praised the strong spirit of the forum, noting improvements in discipline and responsiveness.
“The level of attendance, punctuality, and enthusiasm was outstanding. This shows that synergy is no longer just a slogan—it is becoming a work culture,” he remarked.
National policies can no longer be implemented in isolation from local realities. Indonesia’s true strength lies in the cohesion between national vision and regional potential. This synergy is not merely administrative coordination—it is a unified effort to respond to public needs with speed, precision, and justice
