Village Funds at the Edge of Trust: Jamintel Reda Manthovani Calls for Synergy Between District Prosecutors and Village Councils to Safeguard Public Money from Source to Impact
Sunday | February 15, 2026 | 01:45 | AM WIB
Mediapatriot.com | Medan | North Sumatra — A renewed commitment to safeguarding the integrity of village funds as a strategic instrument for equitable development was firmly emphasized by Reda Manthovani, Indonesia’s Deputy Attorney General for Intelligence (Jamintel).
In his address during the socialization of the Prosecutor’s Village Guard Program (Jaga Desa) and the inauguration of the Regional and Branch Leadership Boards of the National Association of Village Consultative Bodies (Abpednas) across North Sumatra, Reda unequivocally urged District Prosecutors (Kajari) throughout the province to tighten supervision over village fund utilization by collaborating closely with Village Consultative Bodies (BPD).
The event, held at the Governor’s Office of North Sumatra, marked a significant moment of moral and structural consolidation between law enforcement authorities and village oversight institutions.
A memorandum of cooperation was also signed between District Prosecutors’ Offices and Abpednas branches across the province, signaling a new chapter of collaborative, accountability-based supervision.
Siskeudes Is Not Enough: Oversight Must Reach Ground Reality
Reda acknowledged that, administratively, village heads have submitted financial accountability reports through the Village Financial System (Siskeudes), which is integrated with the national village fund application.
However, he cautioned that oversight must not end with digital documentation alone.
“Accountability may exist within Siskeudes, but what about the realities on the ground? Are the projects recorded truly built and genuinely benefiting the people?” he asserted.
According to him, reliance solely on application-based data leaves room for discrepancies between reported expenditures and actual implementation.
Therefore, District Prosecutors require strategic partners who fully understand the planning and execution processes of village development.
In this context, the role of BPD becomes crucial.
As institutions involved from the earliest stages of village planning alongside village heads, BPD members possess both moral legitimacy and factual knowledge to ensure that every rupiah of village funds is spent according to its intended purpose.
BPD as the Frontline of Village Transparency
Reda stressed the importance of building constructive and healthy communication between District Prosecutors and BPD members.
He also emphasized that BPD officials must be guided and protected—not intimidated.
“Work collaboratively with BPD.
They are at the forefront of safeguarding village financial governance. Do not disturb them, because they have direct reporting channels to the Jamintel system,” he stated firmly.
The message was clear: oversight of village funds is not merely a bureaucratic procedure, but a constitutional mandate. Funds sourced from the State Budget (APBN) and Regional Budgets (APBD) represent public money that must return in full measure to serve the public interest.
Reda further underlined that reporting mechanisms have been structured in a transparent, tiered system.
Reports from BPD members can even be submitted directly to the central level through intelligence channels, bypassing regional structural hierarchies if necessary.
This mechanism is viewed as a form of protection for village oversight actors, ensuring they can report findings without fear of intimidation or interference.
Jaga Desa: Building Villages, Preserving Integrity
The Prosecutor’s Village Guard Program (Jaga Desa) is an initiative of the Indonesian Attorney General’s Office aimed at strengthening assistance and supervision of village governance.
The program is designed not as a repressive instrument, but as a preventive and educational approach.
The emphasis lies in guidance rather than criminalization. Prosecutors are expected to ensure that village officials understand regulatory frameworks, financial governance procedures, and the principles of accountability.
“I want village financial governance—whether sourced from APBN or APBD—to be assisted, supported, and guided by District Prosecutors,” Reda stated.
His remarks reflect a paradigm shift in law enforcement: cultivating legal awareness before violations occur.
Amid the substantial flow of village funds nationwide—amounting to trillions of rupiah annually—the strengthening of integrity remains the fundamental pillar.
North Sumatra in Strategic Focus
As one of Indonesia’s provinces with a significant number of villages, North Sumatra faces distinct challenges in ensuring that village fund distribution and utilization remain effective and free from irregularities.
The synergy between prosecutors and Abpednas is expected to reinforce checks and balances at the village level. With BPD serving as representatives of local communities, oversight becomes participatory rather than elitist.
This collaboration also seeks to dismantle the stigma that oversight equates to intimidation.
Instead, supervision is positioned as a protective mechanism—shielding village officials from potential legal consequences arising from administrative negligence or lack of regulatory understanding.
Safeguarding Public Money, Preserving Public Trust
Ultimately, the core message revolves around public trust.
Village funds symbolize the state’s presence at the grassroots level. When managed properly, they build not only infrastructure but also public confidence in governance.
Conversely, misuse erodes not just physical structures, but the moral legitimacy of public institutions.
Through strengthened collaboration between District Prosecutors and Village Consultative Bodies, Jamintel envisions a village governance system that is transparent, accountable, and just.
In Medan, the message resonated unequivocally: village funds are a sacred mandate.
And a mandate, in the end, always demands accountability.
(RML | Editorial Desk | Mediapatriot.com)