Consult the ministry and the public, conduct research
To stay on the right track, managers should actively consult the relevant parties, experts said.
Trubus said regional leaders should ideally consult the Interior Ministry, which oversees regional leaders, before implementing new programs.
Ideally, regional leaders should also involve the public before introducing a new program to avoid controversy and appear as if they show regional superiority, he said.
The Ministry of the Interior should also be more proactive to contact regional leaders and supervise them so that they remain on the right track with their missions, as well as those of Prabowo.
“For example, the transgender ban (in Gorontalo) is against human rights. It is dangerous,” he added.
The expert in political psychology Hamdi Muluk of the University of Indonesia said that regional leaders should create policies based on evidence.
They can consult their subordinates who are experts on certain questions, he said.
Alternatively, they can reach out to universities to carry out research before finding a new program.
“For example, Boot Camp's military program can be studied very carefully (with) an educational and psychological approach, before being implemented,” said Hamdi.
“It would be better for the creation of policies to be on a meritocratic or technocratic basis.”
In the end, the economist Mohammad Faisal of Think Tank The Center of Reform on Economics (Core) Indonesia said that there were many problems in the country, and Prabowo has many objectives. Each region also seeks economic growth.
On Monday, the Indonesian Statistics Agency said that the country's economy increased 4.87% in the first quarter compared to the previous year, its lowest growth rate in more than three years.
It was down 5.02% in the previous quarter, and far from Prabowo’s target to achieve economic growth of 8% per year.
“The main problem at this time everywhere is economic problems, from lack of jobs to eradicating poverty – each region is faced with these problems,” said Faisal.
“The role of regional leaders is not only to target short -term populist programs or rapid victories, but they should solve the root of problems in their regions.”
He added that with uncertain global economic prospects, This would affect the Indonesian economy, the pressure is higher for regional leaders to excel.
There are also problems that are impossible for a region to be tackled alone, he said.
“There must be synchronization between regional policies and even collaboration between regions,” he said.
Indonesians like Jakartan Fita Destriyana, 30, want the government to create policies that directly benefit ordinary people.
“For example, if the government focuses on providing free and accessible education,” she said.
“In my Tanah Abang district, there are still many school dropouts – even if Tanah Abang is near the presidential palace.”
