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13 Malaysian J. Syariah & L. 35 (2025)
Regional Government Autonomy in Indonesia: The Ambiguity of the Federalism of Republic Model

handle is hein.journals/mlsnjl13 and id is 35 raw text is: alay anJun o yn n a Vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 35-57 | APRIL 2025 DOI: httjs://do~org/10.33102/mjslvoI13no1 760 REGIONAL GOVERNMENT AUTONOMY IN INDONESIA: THE AMBIGUITY OF THE FEDERALISM OR REPUBLIC MODEL *Muhammad Mutawalli Mukhlis, Maskun, 'Muhammad Saleh Tajuddin, Dewi Andriani, Rizal Muchtasar, & i'Ahmad Masum 'Syariah dan Ekonomi Bisnis Islam, Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Negeri Majene, Majene, Indonesia Faculty of Law, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia 'Faculty of Ushuluddin and Philosophy, Universitas Islam Negeri Alauddin Makassar, Indonesia -Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Faculty of Law, Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam *(Corresponding author) e-mail: muhammadrmnawalliastatnmaiene.ac.id Article history: Submission date: 14 May 2024 Received in revised form: 2 September 2024 Acceptance date: 13 January 2024 Available online: 20 March 2025 Keywords: Republican, autonomy, regional government, delegation Funding: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Competing interest: The author(s) have declared that no competing interests exist. Cite as: Mukhlis, M. M., Maskun, Tajuddin, M. S., Andriani, D., & Muchtasar, R. (2025). Regional government autonomy in Indonesia: The ambiguity of the federalism or republic model. Malaysian Journal of Syariah and Law, 13(1), 35-57. htos:/doi. arc/10.33102/ mis! voi l3nol1.760 © The authors (2025). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY NC) (itp://creativecomrronsoradicenses/bv nc/4.0), which permits non-commercial re- use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. For commercial re-use, please contact penerbtu~nedurny. ABSTRACT Over the years, there has been ongoing debates regarding the optimal role and status of regional governments as representatives of the central government, with a primary focus on the degree of autonomy afforded to local governments. This paper provides a critical analysis of the issues surrounding regional government autonomy within a republican framework. Central to this examination are significant concerns about the relationship between the central government and regional administrations, extending down to the grassroots level, as well as the dynamics between regional governments and village-level administrations. The research methodology employed in this study is doctrinal, scrutinising the Constitution of Indonesia and other relevant legal frameworks concerning regional governance. The findings reveal that constitutional provisions in Indonesia serve as a basis for unwarranted central government interference in regional affairs. Despite the constitutional mandate to free regional governance from central control and allow for independent regional management, practical and ideological challenges persist. The results indicate that while the Indonesian Constitution aims to provide regional governments with significant autonomy, in practice, the central government retains substantial control over regional affairs. This central interference often undermines the effectiveness and independence of regional administrations, particularly at the village level. The study highlights the need for a clearer delineation of powers to enable more effective regional governance. In conclusion, the paper asserts that the republican governmental system inherently supports the existence of regional administrations capable of independent operation. However, constitutional constraints pose significant challenges to achieving a fully autonomous regional governance system. The study proposes that further delegation and realisation of broad and independent regional management should be entrusted to regional governments through comprehensive decentralisation. Nonetheless, achieving this remains challenging due to the prevailing dualistic paradigm of regional autonomy. The paper calls for a more robust framework to ensure true autonomy for regional governments, involving a significant shift in both legal and administrative practices to reduce central government interference and enhance local governance capabilities. 35

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