President Issues Instruction for Enggano Island, Accelerating Development in Outermost Regions
Jakarta — President Prabowo Subianto has officially issued a Presidential Instruction (Inpres) aimed at accelerating the resolution of challenges faced by Enggano Island in Bengkulu. This decision underscores the government’s commitment to strengthening development in Indonesia’s outermost and frontier regions, which continue to face various infrastructure and accessibility issues.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, stated that the issuance of the Inpres was the result of intensive coordination between the legislative body and relevant ministries.
“We held coordination meetings with the relevant ministries, and after synchronizing the division of tasks to expedite the resolution of the issues, the Presidential Instruction was signed by President Prabowo as a legal umbrella,” said Dasco in Jakarta.
He emphasized the importance of direct involvement from the central government to swiftly address the challenges on Enggano Island.
“Therefore, the handling must be prompt and requires intervention from the central government,” he added.
President Prabowo’s move was also positively welcomed by Speaker of the House, Puan Maharani. She stressed the need for a comprehensive evaluation of the governance of islands across Indonesia. According to her, the situation in Enggano should serve as a momentum to improve island administration.
“We have requested the government to evaluate and reorganize the administration and management of islands in Indonesia. We must ensure that there is no misuse of any island in the country,” said Puan.
Furthermore, Puan noted that the House, through its relevant commissions, would monitor and support the improvement process. She also highlighted the importance of mitigation measures to anticipate potential problems in island regions at an early stage.
The issuance of the Presidential Instruction was also met with appreciation from the local community. Fahmi Arisandi, Regional Head of the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) in Bengkulu, expressed his gratitude and optimism for the central government’s attention.
“Thank you to Ms. Rieke Diah Pitaloka from Commission VI of the DPR who came to Bengkulu and facilitated communication with Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad. This is extraordinary—the prayers of the people of Enggano have finally been answered,” said Fahmi.
He added that the people of Enggano now await with great hope the concrete steps to be taken following the issuance of the instruction.
“There are many paths, and there will be many others who empathize. We believe that. Now, we are just waiting for the next steps,” he said.
The issuance of this Presidential Instruction marks a new chapter in the government’s efforts to ensure equitable development across all regions of Indonesia, including the outermost areas like Enggano Island. President Prabowo appears committed to ensuring that no island is left behind, in line with the government’s vision of enhancing national connectivity and regional resilience.
With cross-sectoral support from the DPR, local communities, and both central and regional government agencies, the hope for accelerated development and the end of isolation in Enggano Island seems closer to becoming a reality.
Enggano Island, one of Indonesia’s outermost islands, has recently experienced growing isolation due to silting in surrounding sea routes. As a result, logistics distribution and residents’ mobility have been disrupted, weakening the local economy.
