Minister of Home Affairs Tito encourages the strengthening of the role of the BNPP RI to accelerate development and border security

JAKARTA - Minister of Home Affairs Muhammad Tito Karnavian as Head of the National Border Management Agency (BNPP) RI emphasized the government's commitment to strengthen the management of border areas as a strategic part in maintaining national sovereignty while encouraging the equitable development of the nation.

The Minister of Home Affairs made this statement after a Working Meeting and Hearing with Commission II of the Indonesian House of Representatives, which specifically discussed the results of the Working Committee (Panja) visit related to the issue of border management in the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, Monday, June 29, 2026.

The Minister of Home Affairs explained that the BNPP RI which was formed since 2010 has two main mandates, namely resolving state border disputes and accelerating the equitable development of the country's border areas.

"The first task is the resolution of the state border dispute. We still have some issues with neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Timor Leste, some of which have been completed and some of which are still in the process of discussion," said Minister of Law and Human Rights Tito.

The second task, he continued, is to build border areas so that local people feel the fairness of development while strengthening nationalism.

According to the Minister of Home Affairs, a developed and prosperous border area will be a natural defense fortress for the country.

"If the border community is prosperous and prosperous, nationalism will be high and certainly not easy to infiltrate by other parties," he said.

The Minister of Home Affairs emphasized the complexity of managing Indonesia's borders as the largest archipelago in the world. Indonesia has land borders with ten countries and sea borders with ten countries, this condition requires simple cross-sectoral supervision and coordination.

"Unlike large land-based countries, we are an archipelago. There is no land connectivity from Sabang to Merauke, this is a big challenge that must be managed together," he said.

On this occasion, Minister of Home Affairs Tito expressed his high appreciation to Commission II of the Indonesian House of Representatives which formed a special working committee (Panja) for the border and conducted a direct review at various strategic points since October last year. According to him, this step shows the seriousness of the DPR in understanding the real problems on the ground.

"They went directly to Natuna, the Malaysian border, Papua New Guinea, to East Timor. These findings are what we are discussing to determine the next steps," he said.

He also revealed a number of crucial issues of common concern, ranging from the settlement of disputes in Sebatik, the addition of the State Border Crossing Post (PLBN), to the construction and connection of road infrastructure in border areas, especially in Papua and Kalimantan.

"In Papua, the road from Skouw to Merauke is still disconnected. This needs to be cleared to support security patrols and people's economic activities," he said.

Furthermore, the Minister of Home Affairs assessed that strengthening the role of the BNPP RI was very important considering its nature as a coordinating institution across ministries and agencies. He welcomed the encouragement of Commission II that the BNPP has a stronger and imperative authority so that the orchestration of border development programs can run faster and more effectively.

"This is in line with the President's direction to build border areas in an integrated manner, I very much support the steps of my friends from Commission II who have gone to the field and are serious about solving the problems of the findings, even later they will create a kind of Pansus," he said.

Regarding the plan to form a Special Committee (Pansus) of the Indonesian House of Representatives across commissions, he said that Pansus would allow all related ministries and agencies to collaborate.

"If the committee is formed, the problems of roads, logistics, education, markets, to basic infrastructure on the border can be roamed together," he said.

The Minister of Home Affairs also highlighted the limited number of PLBN which currently only reaches 15 points, while the need is still very large, especially in Kalimantan and along the Papua New Guinea border which reaches almost 800 kilometers.

He emphasized that the development of PLBN and supporting infrastructure in these areas will have a direct impact on security, logistics, and local economic growth.

To conclude, Minister of Home Affairs Tito emphasized that border management is not merely a territorial issue, but the face of the country's presence on the front lines. Through the synergy of BNPP RI, the House of Representatives, ministries/institutions, and local governments, he is optimistic that the border area can grow as the front door of a safe, prosperous, and prosperous Indonesia.