Jakarta (ANTARA) – Home Affairs official Agus Fatoni urged regional governments to adopt creative financing to sustain development amid global uncertainty and tighter local budgets.He said regions can no longer rely solely on central government transfers and must seek alternative funding sources to keep development on track.“If regions want better funding, they must pursue breakthroughs and innovation,” he said in a statement in Jakarta on Sunday.He said creative financing can start with tax and levy reforms by intensifying and expanding regional revenue collection.A second step is optimizing regional government-owned enterprises, noting fewer than half of 1,097 entities nationwide are currently profitable.Third, he called for better management of public service agencies, such as hospitals, clinics and schools, which can generate revenue if run flexibly and professionally.Fourth, he urged regions to optimize assets by inventorying and using them productively through partnerships, leasing, joint use or selling idle assets.Fifth, he highlighted better use of corporate social responsibility funds from private firms, state-owned enterprises and regional companies.He said coordinated use of CSR funds can better support priorities such as poverty reduction, stunting, inflation control, housing repairs and community empowerment.He also stressed the need to expand cooperation with businesses.Such partnerships can accelerate development of infrastructure, hospitals, street lighting, markets and other public services with private financing support.He added that alms funds could be optimized to support social programs, including poverty alleviation and housing improvements.Creative financing can also include regional loans, bonds and sukuk for infrastructure, while adhering to prudent fiscal principles.He called for stronger inter-regional cooperation in development, public services and cross-border infrastructure.Fatoni said these measures could strengthen fiscal independence and speed up regional development.