Regarding The Chaos Of Rempang Island, Coordinating Minister For Maritime Affairs And Fisheries: If It's Not Finished This Year, Maybe February 2024

Demonstrations by residents of Pulau Rempang at the Batam Concession Agency (BP) Office, Batam, Riau Islands, ended in chaos. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said the government would not rush to resolve the Rempang Eco City problem.

"Yes, we are not in a hurry, lah. Anyway, if it can't be finished this year, maybe January February (2024)," said Luhut after being met on the SAFE Forum 2023 agenda in Jakarta, on Tuesday, September 26.

He said the current government continues to communicate with the public according to the direction of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) so that no party is harmed.

That way, the problem of relocating residents on the island of Rempang can be resolved by benefiting both parties.

"The president has also given directions, the people must not be harmed. We provide the option to the people well. Right, they also don't all have land certificates there, just like Mandalika. Anyway, there is no compensation, but compensation," said Luhut.

Luhut said that the commitment of Chinese Xinyi Group companies on Pulau Rempang is still fairly good related to investment.

"I think the commitment is good, right, we have our respective tasks, they prepare their respective technology investments, we prepare the land and infrastructure," he said.

As previously reported, the government canceled the relocation of residents to Galang Island. Residents affected by the Chinese glass producer investment plan, Xinyi Group, will only be shifted to another area that is still in one area on the island of Rempang.

Investment Minister/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia said that his party found a solution, namely by shifting residents' houses to areas still on Pulau Rempang, not relocation or eviction.

"At first we wanted to relocate from Rempang to Galang, but now only from Rempang to the village that is still in Rempang," he said.

According to Bahlil, the affected residents will be transferred to Tanjung Banun, and there are already 300 families (KK) out of a total of 900 families who are willing to be transferred.

In addition, the public will also be given an award in the form of a land area of 500 square meters complete with a certificate of their rights, and a type 45 house will be built.

"If there is a house that is more than type 45 at a price of Rp120 million, if there is more, it will be judged by the KJPP (Public Appraisal Service Office) at what value, that will be given," said Bahlil.

Bahlil reported that of the 17,000 hectares (ha) of the island of Rempang, only about 8,000 hectares of land will be managed first.

"That of the 17,000 ha areas of the island of Rempang, only 7,000 (ha) (ha) will be managed in advance, the rest are still protected forests, and we focus on the initial 2,300 ha for the industrial development that we have planned to build a glass factory ecosystem and solar panels," he said.