TULUNGAGUNG – Infrastructure projects in Tulungagung have slowed significantly one month after a corruption sting operation targeted suspended Regent Gatut Sunu Wibowo. The slowdown has triggered criticism from local lawmakers, who now urge Acting Regent Ahmad Baharudin to accelerate coordination across government agencies.
Members of the Tulungagung Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) said residents have started questioning the lack of progress in road repairs, bridge construction, and drainage development across the regency.
Andrianto, Secretary of Commission D at the Tulungagung DPRD, said public complaints have increased as the fiscal year enters its fifth month without major physical development progress.
“People feel anxious because infrastructure work has slowed down. Many residents keep asking about the situation, so I directly conveyed this concern to the acting regent,” Andrianto said.
The PKS politician stressed that strong coordination among regional agencies remains crucial to restart stalled infrastructure programs. He called on Ahmad Baharudin to act as a central coordinator who can unite all infrastructure-related offices under one development strategy.
“We need immediate orchestration so infrastructure development can move again,” he said.
Andrianto compared the coordination process to a musical orchestra. In his view, every regional agency must work in harmony and follow the same direction to avoid further delays.
“An orchestra creates harmony because every musician follows the same rhythm. I expect the acting regent to gather all infrastructure agencies and make sure they move together,” he explained.
According to Andrianto, many infrastructure projects still show little progress more than a month after the anti-corruption operation. However, he acknowledged that the regional government still faces administrative adjustments and regulatory changes.
He also pointed to rising fuel prices as another challenge because contractors and government agencies must recalculate construction costs and unit prices.
The slowdown affects almost every infrastructure sector in Tulungagung. Several road projects, drainage systems, bridges, and retaining walls have yet to show significant development despite the ongoing budget year.
“Almost all infrastructure projects face delays. Roads, drainage, bridges, and retaining walls still move slowly, even though this is already the fifth month,” Andrianto said.
The DPRD has also started monitoring the possibility of low infrastructure budget absorption during the first half of the year. Lawmakers plan to summon related agencies to explain spending realization and project progress.
Meanwhile, Acting Regent Ahmad Baharudin insisted that infrastructure activities have started moving again after the government completed several administrative adjustments.
He explained that the regional administration recently shifted financial authority from budget users to proxy budget authorities, forcing agencies to reorganize several procedures.
“All programs can still continue. We only needed several adjustments during the transition process,” Ahmad Baharudin said.
He added that the government issued the required budget transfer documents around three weeks ago. Since then, agencies have resumed several infrastructure activities.
“Projects have entered the process again. Implementation has already started,” he stated.
Ahmad Baharudin also expressed his readiness to lead the acceleration effort and ensure delayed infrastructure projects can move forward in the coming months.
“I am ready to become the conductor who restarts infrastructure development in Tulungagung,” he said.