Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – The Minister of Transmigration, Muhammad Iftitah Sulaiman, said that the transmigration program during the administration of President Prabowo Subianto will be transformed. This program will be different from the transmigration program led by President Soeharto's New Order.
"The focus of transmigration is no longer just relocating people," said Iftitah when interviewed by Tempo at his office on Thursday, January 30, 2025. During the New Order era, transmigration was carried out by relocating residents from densely populated areas to less populated areas to get a more balanced population distribution.
In the outlined roadmap, Iftitah explained that transmigration will be carried out by developing integrated economic regions. According to him, creating economic zones will encourage people to transmigrate voluntarily, even independently. Iftitah referred to this concept as a firefly strategy. "If there is a light, the fireflies will gather," said Iftitah. He likened the light to the economic center that can attract many people.
The Democratic Party politician also mentioned that the development of transmigration economic regions will not only focus on the agriculture sector. Instead, it will include maritime and tourism sectors, tailored to the potential of each region.
Furthermore, with a focus on developing economic regions, Iftitah said that his ministry plans to implement the Patriot Transmigration program. In the future, there will be educated and trained individuals who will undergo transmigration for a certain period, around five to 10 years, through assignments. They will be assigned to create new economic epicenters. "It's called patriot because they are fighters against ignorance and poverty," said Iftitah. "That's why I say that transmigration in the future is quality over quantity."
Regarding the relatively modest budget of the Ministry of Transmigration, which is only worth Rp122 billion in 2025, Iftitah will seek to attract investments. He claimed that there are interested investors, so the programs can be implemented. However, Iftitah is still awaiting President Prabowo's approval. "After I present this (roadmap) to the president, (we will know) his general policy. If he agrees with us if we are given the freedom to attract investors, the budget will not be an issue," said the former aide to the 6th President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.