PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - The 81st Anniversary of West Java Province was celebrated Wednesday night at the Pasanggrahan Pancarasa or the courtyard of the Gedung Sate Bandung.

It began with a plenary session led by the Chairman of the West Java DPRD, Buky Wibawa Karya Guna, followed by a procession of reading the history of West Java Province and closed with a speech by the Governor of West Java, Dedi Mulyadi.

Closing the evening's peak, invited guests and visitors were entertained by the performance of artist Rizky Febian.

In his remarks, Governor KDM - the governor's nickname - said that at the age of 81, West Java should have reached the peak of its success.

"Because we have all the potential, including energy, agricultural, marine, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar, and industrial and manufacturing potential, spread throughout West Java Province," he said on Wednesday (August 19, 2026).

However, this potential remains uneven, and development is distorted between regencies and cities, as well as within provinces. Therefore, there needs to be an orchestration of development direction and budget allocation, led by the governor and deputy governor.

"Budget evaluation is key to development orchestration. The budget, which was administrative in nature, has now shifted to a technical one, prioritizing basic needs," he said.

Basic educational needs, such as the average length of schooling, must be improved because the enrollment rate for nine years of basic education is suboptimal. The addition of new classrooms and scholarships are priority programs. Not only elementary, middle, and high schools, but also package A, B, and C education are also a priority.

KDM also highlighted the economic disparity between regencies and cities in West Java. Bekasi, with its high wages, stands in stark contrast to areas such as Majalengka, Kuningan, and Indramayu. Meanwhile, the standard of living remains the same.

"Urban residents pay rent, buy rice, and food, which generate substantial income. In Kuningan or Majalengka, they don't buy rice because they harvest their own crops. They don't buy vegetables or water, so low income isn't a benchmark. But this is a challenge for all of us: West Java's highest investment must have implications for the availability and fulfillment of jobs throughout the province," he stressed.

Improving the quality of public health is also a key focus of basic services. There should be no difference in health services from the first referral level in the village to the second or even third referral level.

The KDM also targets budget efficiency by streamlining institutions. The number of employees working in the West Java Provincial Government must be strictly based on the public's basic service needs. The number of positions will be streamlined, as will the number of regional apparatus organizations (OPD).

"Some will remain the same, some will change two to one, and some could change three to one. This is a response to the principles of efficient financial management. Since we're talking about efficiency and reallocation, having a large number of positions will still impact fiscal strength," he explained.

Efficiency measures at regionally-owned enterprises (BUMDs) will also be implemented. There will no longer be a large number of directors and commissioners. BUMDs are expected to make a significant contribution to supporting government activities, providing robust public services to the community. They will contribute to economic growth, increase competitiveness, and also serve as government assets.

These BUMDs will be combined into one holding BUMD Sanggabuana and will be managed by professionals in their fields, through open selection.

"Therefore, on the 81st anniversary of West Java Province, allow me to make fundamental changes to build professionalism and a government posture that sides with the people, has a grand vision for the community's prosperity, and is also efficient and gradually resolves the problems of community life openly," he said.

WEST JAVA PUBLIC RELATIONS
Head of the Communication and Information Service of West Java Province
Adi Komar