It is believed that the development of Rempang Eco City will optimize the economic potential of the area, so that it will not only absorb labor but will also be able to improve community welfare. Not only that, the Regional Government is also trying to fulfill the rights of affected residents.
Investment in Indonesia has existed since the New Order era. The existence of foreign investors is to work together and advance each other. Indonesia is a strategic country in terms of position, and has adequate natural and human resources. During the reform era, investment was still available, even foreign investors came happily.
One of the investment places in Indonesia is Rempang Island. However, unfortunately there is a misunderstanding between the local government and the community. On September 7 and 11, an incident occurred there and shocked all Indonesian citizens. However, they need to know that in reality it is not like that because the government never evicts people without a clear reason.
Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD stated that the incident in the Rempang Island area was not an eviction. He said what happened was the land being cleared by those entitled to it. The state granted rights to Rempang Island to a corporate entity in 2001-2002 in the form of Cultivation Rights (HGU). However, the land has not been worked on by investors and has never been visited.
Furthermore, in 2004, the rights to the land were given to other people to occupy. In fact, according to Mahfud, the Certificate (SK) regarding this right was legally issued in 2001-2002. He also mentioned the mistakes made by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.
When in 2022 the investor will come in, the right holder will come there, it turns out the land is already occupied. So then, in order, it turns out that there were errors from the local government and the central government, in this case the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. Then it was straightened out according to the rules that it was still a right because investors would come in.
The public needs to understand that the land on Rempang Island is prepared for investment. There were no forced evictions that led to violence there. The rights of the people on Rempang Island will still be given and compensation money will also be adjusted to the price of land there.
People should not think that the government has acted poorly or has carried out evictions arbitrarily. The reason was because there was a mistake that resulted in land that was supposed to be used for investment, instead being used as a residence for residents, and there was a procedural error on Rempang Island. The government defends its rights and provides compensation to the people there, according to the rules.
Meanwhile, Head of BP Batam Muhammad Rudi stated that the government is preparing a type 45 house worth IDR 120 million with a land area of 500 square meters as compensation. Meanwhile, plans to develop the Rempang Eco City area have been around since 2004. At that time, PT. Makmur Elok Graha is a private sector partnered with the government through BP Batam and the Batam City Government working together.
Muhammad Rudi continued, the construction of Rempang Eco City is included in this year’s National Strategic Program in accordance with the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Regulation Number 7 of 2023 and is targeted to attract investment of up to IDR 381 trillion by 2080.
The Rempang area will also be the location of the second largest glass factory in the world owned by the Chinese company Xinyi Group. The project investment is estimated at US$ 11.6 billion or around IDR 174 trillion. Based on the BP Batam website, this project will take up 7,572 hectares of land on Rempang Island or 45.89 percent of the total land on Rempang Island, which has an area of 16,500 hectares.
Investment on Rempang Island is legal and has official permission from the state. The permit has been around for a long time. Thus, no one should think that investing is a violation because it already has legality.
Investment is very useful for Indonesia’s future because it will move the wheels of the country’s economy. When there is foreign investment, the country’s foreign exchange will increase greatly. With investment, the Indonesian economy will be healthier.
Especially after the pandemic, Indonesia is struggling hard to recover and overcome the threat of recession in 2023. Therefore, investment is needed that will make the country’s economy healthy. With help from investors, Indonesia’s financial condition will be even better.
The incident on Rempang Island means that the public needs to see the facts, that this incident was a misunderstanding. The people there will be given very decent nominal rights and compensation. They were not forcibly evicted, but rather moved because what they had been occupying was state land for investment. The influx of investors on Rempang Island is for the progress of Indonesia so nothing should stop it.
