Budiman Rusli

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) subsidies have become an important policy instrument for improving energy affordability, reducing energy poverty, and supporting economic activities among vulnerable populations in Indonesia. However, the long-term sustainability of LPG subsidy policies remains a subject of debate due to concerns regarding fiscal burdens, governance challenges, and environmental impacts. This study aims to assess the sustainability of LPG subsidy policies through a case study in Cirebon City, West Java, Indonesia, using the Triple Bottom Line framework that integrates social, economic, and environmental dimensions. A qualitative case study approach was employed, utilizing semi-structured interviews, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), field observations, and document analysis involving key stakeholders, including government agencies, Pertamina, LPG distributors, micro-enterprises, and household beneficiaries. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that LPG subsidies contribute positively to social sustainability by improving energy access, reducing household energy expenditures, and enhancing social welfare. The policy also supports economic sustainability through increased purchasing power, improved productivity of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and local economic resilience. From an environmental perspective, LPG subsidies help reduce dependence on traditional fuels such as firewood and kerosene, thereby contributing to cleaner household energy use and indirectly supporting forest conservation. The study identifies significant challenges related to mistargeting, distribution leakages, fiscal pressures, and continued dependence on fossil fuels, which may hinder long-term sustainability and energy transition efforts. The findings suggest that LPG should be positioned as a transition fuel rather than a permanent energy solution. Strengthening subsidy-targeting mechanisms, improving digital governance systems, enhancing fiscal efficiency, and gradually promoting renewable energy adoption are essential to support sustainable energy governance and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study contributes to the literature by providing an integrated sustainability assessment of LPG subsidy policies within the context of developing countries.

Previous studies on rural development and agribusiness value chains have largely examined these issues separately, with limited attention to how organizational capacity shapes value chain performance and sustainable rural development outcomes in transmigration areas. This gap is particularly important in emerging rural regions where institutional constraints, market dependency, and limited coordination continue to hinder local economic transformation. This study examines the role of organizational capacity in shaping value chain performance and its implications for sustainable rural development in transmigration areas. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews, field observations, focus group discussions, and secondary data analysis. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis supported by NVivo software, with triangulation applied to ensure validity and reliability. The findings reveal that although local institutions—such as village-owned enterprises (BUMDes), cooperatives, and farmer groups—are present, their organizational capacity remains limited, particularly in managerial skills, coordination, and aggregation functions. This limitation leads to inefficient value chain performance, characterized by low bargaining power, high dependency on intermediaries, high logistics costs, and limited value-added creation. Consequently, rural income remains suboptimal, social dependency is high, and environmental sustainability risks are insufficiently managed. The study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that organizational capacity acts as a structural determinant of value chain performance, which in turn influences sustainable rural development outcomes. It also proposes a capacity strengthening model integrating human resources, institutional capacity, stakeholder networks, and technology. Policy implications emphasize strengthening local institutions, promoting value chain digitalization, and implementing data-driven interventions. The study highlights that strengthening organizational capacity is a strategic pathway toward achieving sustainable rural development, particularly in emerging rural contexts such as transmigration areas.

Most studies on educational sustainability focus on higher education institutions, while secondary schools, especially in the Global South, are still rarely researched. This study evaluates the sustainability performance of SMAN 21 Bekasi, a public school in urban Indonesia, by adapting the triple bottom line (TBL) framework through a quantitative rapid appraisal (RAP) approach. A total of 105 school stakeholders, consisting of teachers, principals, students, and school committees, assessed the performance based on economic, social, and environmental dimensions. The results showed that the social dimension achieved a moderately sustainable score of 62.57, while the environmental dimension scored 54.56, and the economic dimension scored only 41.46, indicating low sustainability performance. This finding challenges the assumption in the previous literature that sustainability models developed in higher education can be directly applied in secondary schools, especially in the context of educational institutions in the Global South that face various structural limitations such as lack of autonomy, access to resources, and basic infrastructure. This study offers an adaptive and contextual sustainability evaluation model based on RAP-TBL, which can be used for benchmarking between schools, as well as extending theoretical and practical contributions in the framework of sustainable education towards achieving SDG 4 and SDG 12.

The Public Service Mall (MPP) is an innovation in government services that aims to increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and accessibility of public services. From an environmental economic perspective, MPP contributes to optimizing the use of resources and encouraging the growth of community welfare. This research discusses the environmental economic benefits generated by MPPs in Indonesia, focusing on resource efficiency and its impact on community welfare. Through the integration of various services in one location, MPP reduces people's travel needs, thereby saving time, cost, and energy consumption. In addition, the existence of MPPs can encourage carbon footprint reduction through operational efficiency and optimization of public infrastructure. On the other hand, MPP improves the accessibility of basic services, which has an impact on reducing social disparities and improving the quality of life. The conclusion of this study shows that the development of MPP not only supports the bureaucratic reform agenda, but also has a positive impact on the environmental economy through more efficient resource management and sustainable improvement of community welfare.

Saba Budaya Baduy in Kanekes Village, Lebak Regency, is a custom-based tourist destination that offers unique culture and beauty of the natural environment. However, the increase in the number of tourists poses new challenges, including environmental degradation, pressure on local culture, and less than optimal public policies in support of sustainability. This study aims to analyze the synergy between environmental management based on local wisdom and public policy in realizing sustainable tourism in the region. The method used is a qualitative approach with case studies. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, field observations, and analysis of policy documents. The results of the study show that the local wisdom of the Baduy indigenous people, such as the prohibition of the use of modern technology and nature conservation practices, plays an important role in maintaining environmental balance. However, the public policies implemented are often not in harmony with customary values, thus creating challenges in destination management. This research identifies the need for closer synergy between the government, indigenous peoples, and tourism actors to create inclusive and adaptive policies. The main recommendations include increasing the participation of indigenous peoples in the policy formulation process, strengthening environmental regulations, and educating tourists about the importance of respecting local customs and the environment. This research is expected to be a reference in the development of other customary-based tourism destinations in Indonesia.

The Green Building implementation model in the Tasikmalaya City Public Service Mall (MPP) with an environment-based approach aims to create efficient, sustainable, and environmentally friendly public facilities. This study develops a model that integrates sustainability principles in the design, operation, and management of MPP, taking into account the local characteristics of Tasikmalaya City. The main focus of this model includes energy efficiency through energy-saving technology and renewable energy sources, efficient water management, and the use of environmentally friendly building materials available around the region. The implementation of Green Building in MPP is expected to reduce operational costs, increase user comfort and satisfaction, and reduce environmental impacts, such as reducing carbon emissions and conserving natural resources. This model also encourages the importance of collaboration between the government, the private sector, and the community in its implementation. By providing policy recommendations and strategies for the implementation of Green Building in other public facilities, this research aims to make Tasikmalaya City a model environmentally friendly city in Indonesia.

One of the most criticized arrangements in the Job Creation Law is its regulation in the environmental sector which changes several provisions in Law No. 32/2009 on Environmental Law. The regulation in the Job Creation Law in the environmental sector is the legal politics of the Jokowi administration and will be continued by the government that won the 2024-2029 presidential election. This arrangement can be explained using critical theory. This research was prepared with the aim of knowing the threat to democracy from the Job Creation Law in the environmental sector, which in its ratification caused pros and cons in the Prabowo-Gibran Government era. This research uses normative legal research with a statutory approach and conceptual approach. The results show that the Job Creation Law in the environmental sector is more likely to reduce community participation in environmental approval, which is one indicator of the realization of democracy in state administration. This regulation is a threat to democracy after the 2024-2029 presidential election because the winner of the 2024-2029 presidential election has a tendency to continue the previous government's program.

The implementation of infrastructure development in the regions continues to experience obstacles despite the conception of PPP. Obstacles as contained in PPP in the regions can occur considering the cost of PPP in the regions is not as large as PPP in the central government and in connection with this, a conception of Small Scale PPP is needed that can be implemented by the Regional Government so that later development in the regions can be carried out with the PPP mechanism. The implementation of small-scale PPP in the regions is certainly inseparable from legal politics because it is legal politics that can determine the direction of policy. In connection with this, the author wants to conduct an analysis with the formulation of the problem in the form of How is the Influence of Legal Politics in the Implementation of Small-Scale Business Entity Government Cooperation of Local Governments? The results of this study are that small-scale PPP is strongly influenced by legal politics where legal politics in this case not only directs the course of infrastructure development with the PPP scheme, but also serves as a safeguard for the interests of all parties involved, including contractors, investors, and affected communities.

This study aims to assess the effectiveness of housing financing facilitation and assistance policies for low-income people (LIP) in Bekasi District, with a case study of Villa Kencana Cikarang Housing. A qualitative descriptive approach with a case study design was utilized, applying Khan & Khandaker's rational model of policy implementation to evaluate five key variables: clarity of policy objectives, detailed and consistent planning, clear division of tasks, accurate standardization, and proper supervision. The findings reveal several issues, including policy targets that do not reflect the housing needs of each region, inaccuracies in targeting FLPP mortgage recipients, limited planning of FLPP credit/financing schemes, a shortage of human resources in implementing organizations, and various obstacles in post-distribution monitoring related to occupancy. Practical recommendations from this study include setting policy targets based on the proposed housing needs of each region, continuously developing and evaluating the current government housing credit/financing schemes to expand their implementation and utilization beyond LIP to include the poor and non-LIP groups, accelerating staff recruitment and rotation in implementing organizations, and ensuring inherent supervision by involving developers to monitor occupancy rates and applying strict sanctions to LIP who violate the provisions on the use of subsidized housing.

This empirical study identifies the characteristics and roles that regulate the collaborative policy network for handling the urban slum settlements in Pekanbaru. The method used in this study is quantitative methods through semi-structured surveys. Questionnaires were utilised to produce the indicators related to the structure of relationships and roles between the leading figures that were graphically depicted through social network analysis and have been confirmed in every stage of the program through centrality analysis. The results indicate that the collaborative policy network on handling the urban slum settlements leads to the formation of public and community figures. The number of figures is relatively stable, and the pattern of relationships among the figures shows the complex dynamics. However, along the progressed program, the distance and density of relationships among the figures at each stage keep decreasing. Receiving and mediating information and resources is centralised to local government. Local government emerged as a community figure that plays an essential role in the network. It indicates the importance of equal distribution of resources and information to maintain the stability of relations and distances among public figures.