“We must move quickly to improve all sectors,” he said at the National Governance Awards 2026 in Jakarta on Friday night (April 24).
He described the event, which honored high-performing regional leaders, as momentum for local governments nationwide to strengthen their commitment to addressing shortcomings and improving service delivery.
“All regional governments, as well as ministries and state agencies, should take this award ceremony as a source of motivation,” Iskandar said.
He stressed the importance of shifting policymaking toward greater effectiveness and efficiency, while recognizing the role of regional governments as public servants tasked with meeting the real needs of communities.
“All policies must be effective, efficient, and well-targeted. Regional governments must be present as public servants capable of meeting people’s needs,” he added.
Home Affairs Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian echoed the message in his keynote speech, describing the event as a platform to boost the morale of regional governments and encourage them to provide the best possible service.
“The reward and punishment mechanism has proven effective in motivating regional leaders to deliver optimal performance,” he said.
As a reflection of Indonesia’s progress in decentralization, the National Governance Awards recognized provincial, municipal, and district administrations for outstanding public service and commitment to transparency.
In addition to economic performance, the assessment also covered education, healthcare, governance, human resource development, and digital transformation.
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Translator: Tri Meilani, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Primayanti
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