Depok, 25 November 2025 — The Faculty of Administrative Sciences, Universitas Indonesia (FIA UI), held Plenary Session I of the Symposium of 25 Years of Decentralization, featuring three main speakers: Dr. Cheka Virgowansyah, S.STP., M.E. (Ministry of Home Affairs), Prof. Dr. Irfan Ridwan Maksum, M.Si. (FIA UI), and Dr. Mahdani, M.Si., M.M. (Regional Development Planning Agency of Banten Province). The academic discussion was moderated by Dr. Muhamad Yopan, S.T., M.A.B., who guided the session to ensure a comprehensive and complementary exchange of perspectives from the central government, regional governments, and academia.

The speakers agreed that twenty-five years of decentralization have brought tangible progress to public welfare. Social indicators show significant improvements, including an increase in life expectancy from 66 to 72 years and a rise in the average years of schooling from 7 to 8.85 years. Nearly all provinces have recorded declines in poverty, and regional economic growth has shown positive trends. Banten Province, for example, has targeted economic growth of 5.3% in 2025 with a poverty rate below 5%, although unemployment remains a challenge at 5.6%. At the same time, fiscal disparities between regions remain a critical issue, as wealthier regions continue to advance while poorer regions struggle to catch up.

The discussion also revealed that obstacles to decentralization are not only administrative but also political and cultural in nature. The structure of central–local authority is still considered overly centralized, limiting the flexibility of regional governments to make strategic decisions. Permit-based oversight mechanisms and central dominance have caused delays in the implementation of several regional policies. On the other hand, the massive establishment of regional government organizations does not always correlate with economic growth, making institutional efficiency an urgent necessity to ensure effective development performance.

The speakers converged on the recommendation that strengthening decentralization must be pursued through consistent central–local policies, classification of regional capacities, enhancement of civil servant competencies, and more intensive and open collaborative communication. Informal consultation spaces between central and regional governments were deemed important for building mutual trust, aligning development visions, and addressing recurring issues such as delays in budget transfers. Synergy among stakeholders is believed to ensure that decentralization is not merely administrative in nature, but truly delivers tangible benefits for public welfare.

Through this symposium, FIA UI reaffirmed its role as an independent, research-based center for public policy studies and dialogue. This critical evaluation of the decentralization journey is expected to provide substantive input for both central and regional governments in designing inclusive and sustainable policies oriented toward improving the quality of life of the community.