Mataram (ANTARA) - The Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) continues to advocate for clean, transparent, and fraud-resilient governance by prioritizing preventive measures.

Head of BPKP NTB, Mudzakir, stated that this effort involves close collaboration with key government bodies, including the Regional Inspectorate and the Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), to strengthen their commitment to good governance.

He emphasized that fraud prevention should start at the planning stage, particularly within Bappeda, and highlighted the need for the Inspectorate to strengthen early detection mechanisms to prevent incidents such as sting operations.

According to BPKP NTB’s oversight, several sectors remain prone to fraud, including procurement, asset management, and budget planning.

Furthermore, the implementation of fraud risk assessment (FRA) at the regional government level is still suboptimal, often leading to undetected risks in the early stages.

To address these issues, BPKP NTB organized a focus group discussion (FGD), themed “Accelerating Effective Fraud Control in Regional Government: Building a Risk-Aware, Anti-Fraud Culture,” held at the BPKP NTB auditorium in Mataram.

Through the forum, BPKP is optimistic that regional governments will better understand the urgency of FRA and integrate it into their governance practices.

Mudzakir also emphasized that fraud prevention must start with a strong commitment from the top leadership, supported by improved internal controls and comprehensive FRA implementation.

He noted that fostering a risk-aware and anti-fraud culture must go beyond regulations and become a core value for every member of the organization.

The FGD was attended by West Nusa Tenggara Governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal, regional Inspectorate officials, Bappeda representatives, and delegates from the police and prosecutor’s office.

The forum is expected to yield several joint recommendations, such as stronger FRA implementation across all regional governments, closer synergy with law enforcement for early detection and swift action, and increased fraud risk literacy among officials and civil servants.

BPKP NTB reaffirmed its commitment to supporting local governments in strengthening integrity, promoting good governance, and safeguarding public services from fraud.

Governor Iqbal expressed hope that his presence at the forum would inspire all stakeholders to improve governance, stating that a region’s progress is closely linked to the quality of its government administration.

Related news: President urges BPKP to audit National Data Center governance

Related news: Ministry ready to inject more capital to expedite railcar provision

Related news: BPKP to ensure concrete, effective state budget utilization: Jokowi