Jakarta, LiterasiHukumCom – The relationship between the Regent of Sidoarjo, Subandi, and the Deputy Regent, Mimik Idayana, has heated up again and become the public spotlight. The latest peak of tension was triggered by the mutation and rotation policies of dozens of State Civil Apparatus (ASN), which prompted Deputy Regent Mimik Idayana to plan to report Regent Subandi to the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri). Although it has not been a full year since being inaugurated on February 20, 2025, this pair of regional heads has shown cracks in their working relationship several times.

Latest Trigger: ASN Mutation Deemed Procedurally Flawed

The conflict re-emerged after Regent Subandi inaugurated 61 ASN officials within the Sidoarjo Regency Government on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. Deputy Regent Mimik Idayana was not present at the inauguration and openly stated that the mutation process was procedurally flawed. Mimik, who holds a position as a director in the Performance Appraisal Team (TPK), claimed that she was never involved or received reports regarding the assessment of officials who were transferred. She highlighted the swelling number of officials who were mutated from the initial agreement of 31 people to 61 people without notification. "Clearly there is a violation of the mechanism. I will report this matter to the Ministry of Home Affairs so that the system in Sidoarjo can be straightened out again," Mimik said on Sunday (21/9). She assessed that the policy violated the procedures in PP Number 20 concerning Performance Assessment of Civil Servants and Law Number 20 of 2023 concerning the Merit System. In response, Regent Subandi asserted that the mutation process was in accordance with the rules and mechanisms of the State Personnel Board (BKN). "This mutation is in accordance with the rules. BKN has answered that the regulations are in accordance, so there is no problem," said Subandi.

Chronology of Cracks That Have Been Visible Since the Beginning

This latest tension is an escalation of a series of previous disputes. In June 2025, the relationship between the two began to strain when Mimik openly criticized Regent Subandi's apology to the Sidoarjo DPRD regarding his controversial statement. Mimik, who is also the Chairperson of the Sidoarjo Gerindra DPC—the main supporting party—supported the attitude of her faction which rejected the apology. "It's like a bean forgetting its skin. He can become a regent because he is supported by our party," Mimik said at the time. She also complained that she was often sidelined in making important decisions in government. Although there had been mediation efforts from the supporting party and even denials from Mimik herself who said her relationship was fine, this latest conflict shows that there are fundamental problems in leadership in Sidoarjo Regency.