MEDAN, Thekabarnews.com—Regional leaders and policymakers have revived the idea of creating a new province, East Sumatra. Senior government officials attended a development planning meeting where they raised the matter.

North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution raised the issue in his speech at the provincial development planning forum (Musrenbang) in Medan on April 22, 2026. The Home Affairs Minister, Tito Karnavian , was also present at the event.

Bobby said that the Batubara regent proposed the establishment of a new province from part of North Sumatra. But he called on authorities to take the proposal seriously, particularly in terms of regional preparedness and financial independence.

Regional expansion does not mean creating a new administrative region. “You have to be able to make the area self-sustaining,” Bobby said.

“Batubara Regency still very much depends on the transfers from the central government, which account for about 70 percent of the total budget,” he added.

The situation was a sign the territory was not ready for fiscal independence, he said.

“A region that still depends on central funds, it must first build its local revenue,” he said, referring to locally generated revenue (PAD).

Bobby also reminded stakeholders that the moratorium on expansion outside the region is still in effect.

“The policy allowed for the creation of new administrative regions and also included the possibility of consolidating them,” he said.

We must be cautious. “If a region is not well prepared, it can actually shrink,” he said.

“Local governments need to think about development too, not just the money side. If you look at the financial side of things, you can get into disastrous planning and really hurt the community,” Bobby remarked.

He said political ambition should be secondary to the welfare of the people, the economy’s ability, and better public services.

The demand for new provinces leads to the need for good governance and regional development. The government needs to provide these new provinces with sustainable long-term plans.

The East Sumatra proposal raises broader governance issues, such as the management of decentralization. In addition, it highlights improvements to economic preparedness needed for the smooth functioning of the new provinces. These improvements are important for their contribution to national development.

Successful regional expansion requires local revenue streams, infrastructure, and administrative capacity.

Policymakers are expected to consider the proposal and its potential implications for national development and regional stability, sparking debate.

Meanwhile, the North Sumatra administration has called for caution. According to them, sustainable development and economic resilience were prerequisites for any plan to establish a new province.

These elements were crucial to guarantee the new province’s ability to flourish. They also ensured its contribution to the region’s overall stability and growth.

Stay connected via Google News