Smart City Governance and Interoperability: Enhancing Human Security in Yogyakarta and Makassar, Indonesia

Rudi Hardi ^1* Achmad Nurmandi ¹ Titin Purwaningsih ¹ Halimah Abdul Manaf ²

• ¹ Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
• ² Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia

The global expansion of smart cities has reshaped urban governance; however, their heavy reliance on technological innovation often undermines human security, resulting in fragmented, unsustainable, and exclusionary systems that fail to meet the needs of vulnerable populations. This research examines the impact of interoperability on smart city governance (SCG) and its role in enhancing human security in Yogyakarta and Makassar, Indonesia. Specifically, it explores how interoperability is developed through the processes of design, government alignment, policy fit, user engagement, change management, governance structure, and service consumption. Data collected from 315 respondents across 47 government agencies were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings show that interoperability significantly strengthens SCG and advances human security. Cross-sector collaboration was identified as a particularly important driver of innovation. Despite challenges such as regulatory resistance and data fragmentation, alignment with the national digital strategy, SPBE policy, and Indonesia's One Data initiative facilitates system integration. This research contributes to this field by shifting the focus from simply advancing technology to addressing vulnerabilities. It offers a blueprint for cities such as Yogyakarta and Makassar to integrate local policy frameworks with global standards, thereby promoting responsive and equitable urban governance.