Corruption involving regional heads remains a persistent problem in Indonesia.
One notable example is the Operasi Tangkap Tangan (OTT) conducted by
Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), which implicated the
regional heads of Ponorogo and Tulungagung Regencies. This study aims to
analyze public perceptions of the quality of local government in Ponorogo and
Tulungagung Regencies following the KPK's OTT using the Quality of
Government (QoG) perspective, as well as to examine public trust in the local
government. This study employed a qualitative approach. Data were collected
through interviews and documentation, while informants were selected using
purposive sampling. The data were analyzed using Creswell's qualitative data
analysis. The findings indicate that the quality of local government in Ponorogo
and Tulungagung Regencies has not yet fully reflected the principles of Quality of
Government. In the rule of law dimension, the majority of participants perceived
law enforcement as being characterized by injustice, political interference, and
limited transparency. In the control of corruption dimension, most participants
considered anti-corruption efforts to be suboptimal due to weak oversight,
recurring corruption practices, and ineffective preventive measures. Meanwhile,
in the government effectiveness dimension, public services have continued to
operate; however, bureaucratic effectiveness remains constrained by complex
administrative procedures, limited transparency, and political influence. The
study also found that public trust has declined due to the low integrity of public
officials, weak accountability, and recurring corruption cases. Nevertheless, some
members of the public continue to trust government institutions, provided that the
government improves governance, enhances transparency, strengthens
accountability, and demonstrates a strong commitment to achieving high-quality
governance.
Keywords: Local Government, Regional Head Corruption, Quality of
Government, Public Trust