Synergizing Dayak Kenyah Local Wisdom with State Law for Village Fund Corruption Prevention

Introduction: Corruption in Village Fund management remains a governance challenge, particularly in geographically remote areas where formal oversight is difficult to sustain. Dayak Kenyah customary law in Malinau, North Kalimantan, offers a context for examining how community-based norms may complement state accountability mechanisms. Purposes of the Research: This study examines how the Tana' Ulen stewardship ethic, integrity-oriented leadership, and customary sanctions may contribute to corruption prevention, and proposes a framework for integrating customary institutions with formal law. Methods of the Research: The study employs a qualitative socio-legal approach combining statutory and conceptual analysis with documentary research on Dayak Kenyah customary practices and materials concerning corruption enforcement in Malinau. The analysis examines the relationship between customary norms, social accountability, and Indonesia's legal framework for Village Fund governance. Results of the Research: The analysis identifies three potential contributions of customary law: promoting collective responsibility for public resources, strengthening community participation in leadership accountability, and encouraging early social responses to breaches of trust. However, these mechanisms may also be weakened by elite loyalty, social pressure, or reluctance to report misconduct. The study therefore proposes participatory oversight through village forums, culturally grounded integrity education, and coordination between customary institutions and state authorities. Conclusion: Dayak Kenyah customary law may provide a context-sensitive complement to formal corruption prevention, provided that its implementation respects human rights, due process, and statutory authority. The proposed framework offers a basis for further empirical evaluation rather than proof of a causal reduction in corruption.