Reconciling Central Administrative Oversight and Local Political Legitimacy: A Normative Analysis of Sanctions Against Directly Elected Regional Heads

Article Sidebar

PDF
Published: Oct 1, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15575/kh.v8i3.54416
Keywords:
Regional Autonomy, Authority, Supervision and Guidance

Main Article Content

Achmad Sodik Sudrajat
Department of State Development Administration, Politeknik STIA LAN Bandung
Muhammad Taufiq
Department of State Development Administration, Politeknik STIA LAN Jakarta
Hye Kyoung Lee
Department of Law and Public Administration, Myongji University, South Korea
Taufiq Alamsyah
Faculty of Sharia and Law, UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Bandung
Muhammad Asro
Faculty of Sharia and Law, UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Bandung

Abstract

Indonesia's decentralisation system embodies a fundamental tension between the political legitimacy conferred upon directly elected local leaders and the centralised oversight exercised by the Ministry of Home Affairs, a tension that remains inadequately addressed within the existing legal framework. This study aims to examine the legal limits of the Ministry's authority to supervise local officials, using the administrative sanction imposed on the Regent of Indramayu as a case study. Employing a normative legal research method with statutory and conceptual approaches, the study analyses how supervisory authority is acquired and exercised under Law No. 23 of 2014 on Regional Government. The findings reveal that although local leaders derive strong democratic legitimacy from direct elections, they remain constitutionally bound by the unitary state structure, and the Ministry's imposition of corrective administrative sanctions constitutes a lawful exercise of oversight; however, non-punitive "soft governance" measures such as compulsory mentoring or internships must strictly observe the principles of proportionality and legality to avoid excessive interference in local self-governance. The study concludes that future legislative reform must clearly delineate the boundaries of administrative pressure so that supervision functions as an instrument of institutional development rather than political control. This research contributes to legal scholarship by offering a normative framework for distinguishing legitimate administrative oversight from politically motivated intervention, thereby enriching the discourse on decentralisation and central–local government relations in Indonesia.

Article Details

Issue
Vol. 8 No. 3 (2026): Khazanah Hukum
Section
Articles
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under  Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).

References

Bahar, Y., Armansyah, A., & Mirza, M. (2021). The Regional Supervision and Cancellation Mechanism. Polit Journal: Scientific Journal of Politics, 1(4), 184–194. https://doi.org/10.33258/polit.v1i4.584

Barus, S. I. (2020). Dilemma Executive Control : Development of Regional Regulatory Canceling Models. MIZANI: Wacana Hukum, Ekonomi Dan Keagamaan, 7(2), 134–147. https://doi.org/10.29300/mzn.v7i2.2588

Birham, R. E. (2024). Catatan Kritis Implementasi Hubungan Kementerian Dengan Pemerintah Daerah. Prosiding Konferensi Nasional Asosiasi Pengajar Hukum Tata Negara Dan Hukum Administrasi Negara III, (39), 373–398.

Budiardjo, M. (2007). Dasar-dasar Ilmu Politik. Gramedia Pusta ka Utama.

Dirgahayu, I., Supriyono, B., Domai, T., & Saleh, C. (2021). The Roles of Assistance, Monitoring and Evaluation by the Ministry of Internal Affairs on the Improvement of Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget Quality of Provinces in Indonesia. Journal of Southwest Jiaotong University, 56(3), 169–178.

Grindle, M. S. (2011). Good Enough Governance Revisited. Development Policy Review, 29(September 2007), 199–221.

Hadi, F., Sukardi, S., & Gandryani, F. (2024). Supervision of The Formation of Local Regulations by The Governor in The Indonesian Regional Autonomy Perspective. De Recht Journal of Police and Law Enforcement, 1(2), 39–55.

Hadjon, P. M., Martosoewignjo, R. S. S., Basah, S., Manan, B., Marzuki, H. M. L., Berge, J. B. J. M. ten, Buuren, P. J. J. van, & Stroink, F. A. M. (2011). Pengantar Hukum Administrasi Indonesia. UGM Press.

Halik, A. (2015). Implementasi Kebijakan Pelimpahan Urusan Pemerintahan Lingkup Kementerian Dalam Negeri. Jurnal Bina Praja, 7(2), 131–148.

Handayani, P. Z., & Ernawati, E. (2026). Tinjauan Konstitusional Penunjukan Penjabat Kepala Daerah Berdasarkan Prinsip Demokrasi dan Kedaulatan Rakyat. Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Dan Riset Pendidikan, 4(3), 16979–16987. https://doi.org/10.31004/jerkin.v4i3.4866

Hasrul, M. (2017). Penataan Hubungan Kelembagaan Antara Pemerintah Provinsi Dengan Pemerintah Kabupaten/Kota. Perspektif, 22(1), 1–20.

Irwansyah, I. (2024). Authority of Executing Regional Head Duties According to Law Number 23 of 2014. Jurnal Meta Hukum, 3(1), 58–68. https://doi.org/10.47652/jmh.v3i1.726

Islahuddin, M. (2024). Mekanisme Pembatalan Peraturan Daerah Oleh Mahkamah Agung Pasca Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi Nomor 137 / PUU-XIII / 2015 DAN NOMOR 56 / PUU- XIV / 2016. Legal Studies Journal, 4(1), 12–26. https://doi.org/10.33650/lsj.v4i1.9443

Jati, W. R. (2012). Inkonsistensi Paradigma Otonomi Daerah di Indonesia : Dilema Sentralisasi atau Desentralisasi. Jurnal Konstitusi, 9(4), 743–769.

Kusnanto, A. (2024). Quo Vadis Landasan Hukum Pengangkatan Penjabat Kepala Daerah Andi Kusnanto. Legal Spirit, 8(1), 45–58. https://doi.org/10.35457/supremasi.v13i2.3041

Muqoyyidin, A. W. (2013). Pemekaran Wilayah dan Otonomi Daerah Pasca Reformasi di Indonesia : Konsep, Fakta Empiris dan Rekomendasi ke Depan. Jurnal Konstitusi, 10(2), 287–309.

Muttaqin, M. Z. (2025). State Administrative Law in Indonesia. Routledge.

Nasution, A. B. (2007). Bantuan Hukum di Indonesia. Lembaga Penelitian, Pendidikan dan Penerangan Ekonomi dan Sosial.

Pamungkas, C. A., & Asmorojati, A. W. (2023). Menguji Ketepatan Penambahan Kewenangan Penjabat Melalui Surat Edaran Menteri Dalam Negeri. Media of Law and Sharia, 4(2), 89–103.

Patoni, R., Saputra, L. K., Ilham, I., Tohariadi, Moh., & Zuarno, Z. (2021). Paradox of The Authorities of Regional Governments in The Legal Politics of Regional Autonomy After The Enactment of Law Number 23 of 2014. Unram Law Review, 5(1), 109–120. https://doi.org/10.29303/ulrev.v5i1.102

Putra, I., & Lubis, A. F. (2024). Decentralisation and Constitutional Law in Indonesia : Balancing Regional Autonomy and National Unity. West Science Law and Human Rights, 2(02), 175–181.

Rahayu, A. S. (2018). Pengantar Pemerintahan Daerah : Kajian Teori,Hukum dan Aplikasinya. Sinar Grafika.

Siboy, A. (2022). Reinforcing Central Government ’ s Authority over Regional Governments in the system of Indonesian Governance. Pena Justisia: Media Komunikasi Dan Kajian Hukum, 21(01), 67–83.

Stroink, F. A. M. (2006). Pemahaman tentang dekonsentrasi. Refika Aditama.

Syahfei, T. G. (2021). Efektivitas Hukum Penyelenggaraan Pemerintahan Daerah Oleh Kepala Daerah Terpilih Dari Jalur Perseorangan di Kabupaten Gowa. Jurnal Ilmiah Living Law, 13(2), 132–141.

Tampemawa, R. B. E. (2022). The Existence of the Governor’s Supervision of Regional Regulations and Regional Head Regulations of Regency / City in Indonesia. Journal of Community Development in Asia (JCDA), 5(3), 53–62. https://doi.org/10.32535/jcda.v5i3.1797

Taufiqurrahman, F., Ibnususilo, E., Melina, M., & Hudi, Moh. (2021). Asas-asas dan Norma-Norma Hukum Administrasi Negara Dalam Pembuatan Peraturan Perundang-Undangan, Peraturan Kebijakan, dan Keputusan. Mimbar Yustistia, 5(2), 91–114.

Van Wijk, H. D., & Konijnenbelt, W. (1995). Hoofdstukken van Administratief Recht. Uitgevaerij Lemma BV.

Zamroni, M. (2024). Konsep Kewenangan Dalam Perspektif Hukum Perdata. Jurnal Mimbar Hukum, 36(2), 495–518.