The government is committed to safeguarding people’s rights, cultural rights and the birthright of residents who have lived for generations in Rempang. Rempang Eco City is believed to be able to provide escalation to improve the quality of life and welfare of Rempang residents. During the development period, it is estimated that the community’s economy will be helped by micro, small and medium economic activities.
Rempang Eco City is a development project that aims to make Rempang Island in Batam City, Riau Islands Province an integrated industrial, trade and tourism area. After being delayed for 18 years, the Rempang Island area was finally inaugurated as an industrial area. The area development was carried out by PT Makmur Elok Graha (MEG), a subsidiary of Tomy Winata’s Artha Graha.
PT MEG as the manager of the development of Rempang Island has obtained a Decree (SK) for a Business Permit for the Utilization of Environmental Services and Provision of Natural Tourism Facilities (IUPJL-PSWA) and a Decree on the Release of Convertible Production Forests (HPK). PT MEG then officially named this project Rempang Eco City . Rempang Island is planned to become a tourism and industrial area with the ” Green Zone ” concept. This area was built with an area of approximately 165 km².
Head of the Batam Enterprise Agency (BP), Muhammad Rudi, said he would promise that the Rempang Island tourist area could facilitate connections between surrounding islands. Rempang Island also plans to promote local natural tourism, such as nature conservation, bird parks, historical zones and integrated agro-tourism areas. The Rempang area makes Indonesia have high competitiveness in the Southeast Asia region.
Apart from that, the Head of the Promotion and Protocol Public Relations Bureau, Ariastuty Sirait, explained that if this investment goes ahead, there will be many positive impacts for the community, both in the Barelang area and Indonesia on a larger scale. According to Ariastuty, MSMEs will be very alive. All of these processes will involve MSMEs. An example is the staple food and food business, where workers do not need to go far to Batam City. MSMEs can enter the global supply chain and increase opportunities for MSMEs to move up in class.
Indonesia is competing (with neighboring countries) to get an investment of 174 T for Xinyi (the largest glass manufacturer in the world operating globally) and 381 T for PT. MEG. While the average total investment in Batam alone per year is 13.63 T, the presence of Xinyi can attract other investment, thereby creating a business ecosystem that will have a good impact on Rempang Island. The development carried out will continue to prioritize local wisdom. So that not only will the region be developed, but the community will be uplifted as well. If an investment ecosystem is not created, it has the potential to cause economic stagnation in the region, continued Ariastuty.
The government, through the Minister of Investment/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), Bahlil Lahadalia, ensures that the Rempang Eco City project will continue. Including investment from Xinyi Glass Holdings Ltd there are no cancellations. One of the investors who entered was Xinyi Glass Holdings Ltd. Xinyi has committed to building a quartz sand processing factory worth US$ 11.5 billion or the equivalent of Rp. 175 trillion and making it the second largest glass factory in the world after China.
Bahlil is currently still focused on outreach to the residents of Rempang Island. The government ensures that Rempang Island residents affected by the construction of the Remang Eco City project will not be moved to Galang Island. The residents were only asked to move a little to the next village. According to Bahlil, this had been communicated to residents beforehand when they visited there. Residents represented by community leaders and some who will be displaced agreed to this. This has also been conveyed to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). This means that the solution to the gap position is not eviction, but simply displacement.
Each head of family who experiences displacement will be given 500 meters of land in the form of an ownership certificate. Then, he was given a type 45 house worth IDR 120 million. However, if the house price exceeds IDR 120 million, the excess will still be paid by the government using an assessment mechanism by the KJPP (Public Appraisal Services Office).
The government also provides facilities to residents during the waiting period for house construction, which is estimated to take approximately 6 to 7 months. Each Head of Family (KK) will receive money for house rental costs and living costs as long as the residential house is not yet completed. Likewise the businesses of the affected residents. The area that will be the residence includes a fishing port.
Regional economic recovery since the pandemic must be more focused, especially for affected areas. Batam and the Riau Islands have succeeded in improving their economies slowly. It would be wiser to maintain or improve it further. The reason is that there are big opportunities in several areas of Batam and the Riau Islands which are ready to become competitive for foreign regions.
Therefore, the Indonesian government is trying to carry out development in several areas, one of which is the Rempang area which is predicted to open up large employment opportunities. The Rempang area, which is called Rempang Eco City, is able to improve the welfare of local residents to restore their economy. Therefore, people do not need to worry because this area has great potential.
