Darmawangsyah Muin Inaugurated as Definitive Gowa Regent, Replaces Detained Sitti Husniah

Darmawangsyah Muin has officially become the definitive Regent of Gowa after being inaugurated by South Sulawesi Governor Andi Sudirman Sulaiman on Wednesday (28/10) afternoon. The inauguration marks the end of a leadership vacuum at the regency level that arose after the previous regent, Sitti Husniah Talenrang, was detained over a bribery and money laundering (TPPU) case.

The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Asta Cita Building, the South Sulawesi Governor's Official Residence, in Makassar, at around 16.00 WITA. Darmawangsyah had previously served as Acting (Plt) Regent of Gowa and concurrently Deputy Regent, so the inauguration confirms his position as the full regional head.

Deputy Speaker of the Gowa Regional House of Representatives (DPRD), Hasrul Abdul Rajab, confirmed the information. According to him, the DPRD had submitted the proposed name of the definitive regent candidate through a plenary session to the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) before the inauguration was held. "We received the information directly from the South Sulawesi Provincial Government this morning," Hasrul told reporters.

The inauguration is a significant moment for Gowa Regency, which had for some time been led by an acting official. The absence of definitive leadership could potentially hamper the taking of strategic policies, especially those requiring the full legitimacy of a regional head. With Darmawangsyah's inauguration, the government is expected to return to normal and development programs to proceed without administrative obstacles.

"We hope this inauguration becomes a momentum to strengthen government stability, accelerate development, and improve the quality of public services and community welfare," Hasrul said.

The Gowa Regency DPRD stated it is ready to work in synergy with the regional government in carrying out the development agenda. The legislative body is committed to performing its legislative, budgetary, and oversight functions professionally. "Our hope is that this leadership certainty is soon followed by real work and policies that favor the public," Hasrul added.

The case involving Sitti Husniah Talenrang serves as a reminder that local political stability is highly vulnerable to legal problems. A change of leadership mid-term demands rapid adaptation from the bureaucracy and all stakeholders in Gowa. Going forward, the public will watch whether Darmawangsyah can maintain the development momentum while restoring public trust after the legal case that befell his predecessor.