PEKANBARU - The Riau Provincial Government has submitted five names of candidates
for Riau Province Regional Secretary to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The five names include, Taufik HO, Head of the Riau Industry and Trade Service; Indra, Head of the Riau Regional Financial and Asset Management Agency; Evarefita, Head of the Riau Regional Revenue Agency; Syahrial Abdi, Head of the Riau Plantation Service and M Job Kurniawan, Assistant II of the Riau Province Regional Secretariat.

According to Dr Panca Setya Prihatin, a Political and Government Observer from Riau Islamic University, the selection of a Regional Secretary affects whether or not a government would take place.

"So in the context of government management needs, a Regional Secretary is needed who not only meets administrative requirements, but is also a figure who is able to control the government so that it continues to run in its corridors," said Dr Panca Setya.

Additionally, Panca said, the Regional Secretary has to make sure that public services continue as normal and improve even more when measured by measures of public satisfaction.

"We must be able to ensure development continues, not only regarding infrastructure but also related to human resources, both capacity building, training and also budget allocation for scholarships," he said.

"And also the Regional Secretary must ensure that community empowerment continues by activating the community to be involved in implementing government projects so that the community is not just an object. Last but not least, the Regional Secretary also ensures that there is legal certainty, certainty related to regulations which are the basis for the implementation of government ," he said.

Panca expects that the individual chosen to succeed SF Hariyanto as Riau Regional Secretary would be dedicated to preserving the orderly running of the management.

"What the Riau Provincial Government has proposed to the Ministry of Home Affairs are career bureaucrats. However, what needs to be emphasized is that the person concerned does not take sides with any of the candidates contesting the Regional Head Election so that the government bureaucracy is free from interference from political interests," said Dr Panca Setya Prihatin.

Elly Wardhani, the Daily Acting Head of the Governance Bureau of the Riau Province Regional Secretariat, had previously said that the Ministry of Home Affairs had received five names from the Riau Provincial Government for Provincial Regional Secretaries.

Later on, candidates with the authority to succeed SF Hariyanto, who resigned while running for regional head in 2024, would be chosen by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Elly Wardhani said on Sunday, September 29, 2024, that "we hope that the Riau Province Regional Secretary's Decree will be issued from the Ministry of Home Affairs next Monday."

Author: Yuni
Editor: Riki