Yogi Eka Sahputra, Jakarta – Presidential candidate number 1 Anies Baswedan commented on Rempang Eco-City conflict during his limited campaign in Batam today, Friday, Jan. 19, 2024.
Anies said that the issue in Rempang must be resolved with a thorough dialogue with Rempang locals. "Everything concerning the people must go through a rigorous discussion," he told reporters on Friday.
Even if the discussion takes a long time, Anies is optimistic there is a solution to every problem. "Dialogue [with residents] often takes a long time, but there's always a meeting point," he said.
"Unfortunately, the government is often impatient and rushed in deploying their personnel. That ends in a problem," he added.
Anies was optimistic that a solution would be found for Rempang Eco-CIty if affected residents were involved in a thorough discussion with the government.
The agrarian conflict escalated in Batam City last year, where 7,000 hectares of land on Rempang Island will be developed into an industrial zone. BP Batam fronts the Rp300 trillion project with PT Makmur Elok Graga as the developer.
The project would mean a relocation for Rempang locals, a notion that the residents have rejected multiple times. the indigenous land, the residents said, must be protected.
BP Batam is still trying to sway the residents to move from their homes and be relocated. Some still stay and refuse to be relocated.