The Role of Political Leadership in Shaping Integrated Urban Policy Frameworks in the City of Semarang, Indonesia

Since the introduction of regional autonomy legislation in 1999, Indonesia has been pursuing a major process of democratic decentralisation. The resulting administrative and political processes of restructuring have had considerable impacts on the urban planning system in Indonesian cities (Firman, 2014). There seem to be considerable differences in how Indonesia’s rapidly growing cities are dealing with urban challenges (Dethier, 2017). Urban policymaking processes in Indonesian cities are characterised by complexity and can be hampered by unclear responsibilities of central and local government as a result of the decentralisation process. The political leadership of cities appears to play a major role in shaping urban policies that are inclusive, equitable, and consider environmental sustainability. This paper discusses the role of urban political leadership in defining urban policies aimed at providing a strong framework for coordinating plans and projects that meet the requirements of current and future generations. The study focuses on analysing the role of political leadership in the urban policy initiatives in Semarang, the capital city of Central Java Province. The analysis leads to the identification of key features and elements affecting urban policy on urban infrastructure provisions. The empirical analysis in this paper results from in-depth interviews with key policymakers and stakeholders in the City of Semarang. The findings presented in this paper allow critical reflection on the role of urban political leadership in shaping integrated urban policies aimed at urban development.