The Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) of the Riau Islands Province (Kepri) is committed to carrying out President Prabowo Subianto’s orders in efforts to eradicate narcotics as part of the 100-day Astacita program.
In relation to this, the Chief of Police of the Riau Islands, Inspector General of Police Yan Fitri Halimansyah highlighted that 90 percent of drugs entering Indonesia come from abroad, with the Riau Islands as one of the areas prone to drug trafficking.
“Indonesia as a maritime country has back routes that are used by drug dealers to bring in these prohibited goods,” he explained.
In addition to geographical factors, challenges also arise from the development of night entertainment venues and the existence of villages that become centers for storing drugs. In Batam, for example, Kampung Aceh in Muka Kuning has long been known as an area with drug problems. Forkopimda Kepri has initiated a change in the face of Kampung Aceh to become a “Drug-Free Civil Village” as a comprehensive effort to overcome this problem.
Inspector General Yan Fitri is optimistic that the transformation of Kampung Aceh will be a significant initial step in eradicating drug trafficking in the Riau Islands.
“The dense and chaotic condition of Kampung Aceh must be changed. This launch is a priority because it is related to the President’s 100-day Astacita program,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Riau Islands High Prosecutor’s Office, Teguh Subroto, fully supports the launch and explained that the High Prosecutor’s Office has made maximum efforts to provide a deterrent effect.
“In one day, there are four drug cases where the defendants are sentenced to death. However, this heavy sentence is not enough to suppress drug trafficking in Kepri,” he said. According to Teguh, there needs to be strong synergy between all stakeholders and elements of society to strengthen efforts to eradicate drugs.
Head of Economic, Social, Cultural, Religious and Community Organization Resilience Division Sugiarto Doso Saputro also welcomed the initiative. He stated that the success of the program does not only depend on the authorities, but also on the community who need to be educated not to get involved in drug trafficking.
“The residents of Kampung Aceh must work together to realize a healthy civil village. Don’t let the authorities be busy eradicating drugs, but the community does not want to change,” said Sugiarto.
Collaboration between law enforcement agencies, government agencies, and the community is expected to create a significant impact in eradicating drugs. With the launch of Kampung Aceh as a “Drug-Free Civil Village,” the Forkopimda Kepri hopes to create an environment that is clean from drugs and support the great goals of the golden generation of 2045. []