Regional Head Retreat Plays an Important Role in Realizing Better Governance

By: Fabian Aditya Pratama

The one-week regional head briefing retreat held at the Magelang Military Academy is not just training with a militaristic approach, but rather a forum to strengthen essential leadership values, one of which is discipline. This activity is an opportunity for regional heads to increase their capacity in running a better and more effective government.

Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian emphasized that this retreat is not to shape regional heads into militaristic figures, but to instill the values ​​of discipline and punctuality which are also important aspects in the private sector.

According to him, discipline is a key factor in a bureaucracy whose main task is to serve the community well. In addition, the aspect of cleanliness is also a concern in this activity, considering the importance of a clean and orderly environment in supporting effective governance.

In addition to providing learning about discipline, this retreat also plays a role in strengthening communication and networks between regional heads. By getting to know each other, it is hoped that coordination in carrying out government duties can run more smoothly. Good communication between regional heads will have a positive impact in aligning policies implemented in various regions.

Governor of the National Resilience Institute TB. Ace Hasan Syadzily reminded regional heads to always be aware of global geopolitical dynamics that can impact the conditions of their respective regions. In this case, creating a healthy investment climate is one of the important steps to face these challenges. With the right policies, each region can take advantage of geopolitical changes as an opportunity to strengthen the local economy.

Efficiency and effectiveness in the use of the Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBD) were also highlighted in this retreat. Regional heads are expected to be able to manage the budget better in order to improve people’s welfare. This is in line with the target of the National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas) which wants to produce regional leaders with strong statesman characters.

On the other hand, Lampung Governor Rahmat Mirzani Djausal, who was recently inaugurated by President Prabowo Subianto on February 20, 2025, emphasized that this retreat is not only a learning forum, but also a place to build emotional and team relationships between regional heads. Strong collaboration between the central and regional governments, as well as between regional heads themselves, is an important factor in creating effective policies that have a broad impact on society.

This retreat is designed to provide training on good governance-based governance and strengthen synergy between the central and regional governments. Participants received material from 40 speakers consisting of ministers, deputy ministers, ministerial-level officials, and representatives of non-ministerial institutions.

Several main topics discussed include National Resilience and National Insight, Asta Cita, Ministry and Institution Programs, Duties and Functions of Regional Heads, Leadership and Political Communication, and Team Building. With a disciplined and structured learning method, this activity is expected to improve the quality of leadership of regional heads to be more effective in serving the community.

During the activity, participants are not allowed to bring companions or aides into the retreat location so that they can focus more on receiving the material. The costs of organizing, accommodation, and consumption are borne by the Ministry of Home Affairs, while transportation and personal needs are the responsibility of each region through the APBD.

After completing this retreat, Rahmat Mirzani Djausal is committed to immediately realizing priority programs in Lampung, including road infrastructure development, increasing the added value of agricultural commodities, and strengthening the quality of human resources in order to open more jobs. With the enthusiasm gained from this retreat, he is determined to immediately work to ensure that development in Lampung runs according to the vision and mission that have been designed.

The regional head retreat at the Magelang Military Academy is an important momentum for regional leaders to deepen their understanding in running the wheels of government. This activity not only provides new insights and knowledge, but also builds stronger networks and synergies in government. With a high commitment, it is hoped that each regional head will be able to apply the learning from this retreat to create a better government that sides with the people.