Rusuh Pulau Rempang And Tumpang Tindih Land Status In Indonesia

Residents blocked the road on Bridge 4 which connects Batam Island, Rempang Island, and Galang Island to protest against the construction of Rempang Eco City on August 21, 2023. (Between/Teguh Prihatta)

JAKARTA - Rempang Island is attracting public attention because its citizens have been targeted by evictions for the purpose of building the Rempang Eco City project by the Batam Entrepreneurship Agency (BP) and PT Makmur Elok Graha (MEG).

The Eco City Rempang development project has actually been planned since 2004. It is planned that the Rempang Island area will be transformed into an industrial, service and tourism area which is expected to be able to attract investment of up to IDR 381 trillion by 2080.

Pembangunan Rempang Eco City masuk dalam Program Strategis Nasional 2023 sesuai Permenko Bidang Perekonomian RI Nomor 7 Tahun 2023. Pemerintah menggandeng PT MEG sebagai pihak swasta yang akan bekerja sama dengan BP Batam dan Pemerintah Kota Batam.

The company owned by the Artha Graha Group boss, Tomy Winata, is mandated to work on 17 hectares of land or all land on the island of Rempang. This means that all residents in the islands must be relocated so that the project development plan runs smoothly as planned.

The magnificent project on the island of Rempang also includes the construction of the second largest glass factory site in the world owned by a Chinese company, the Xinyi Group. The project investment is predicted to reach 11.6 billion US dollars or around Rp. 174 trillion.

However, the ambitious project of Pulau Rempang received rejection from local residents. In the aftermath, clashes between residents and joint officers from the Indonesian National Army (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri), the Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP), and BP Batam broke out on September 7, 2023. The clashes occurred because joint officers forced into the area to install the Sampang Eco City land boundary marker.

Residents refused to be relocated because they felt they were not involved in the plan to build the Rempang Eco City Area. The government is considered to be ignorant of the voices of the 16 traditional residents of Kampung Melayu Tua.

"The decision to provide all land to investors is an impartial attitude to the people and has had an impact on 16 old villages of the Malays, Sea Parts, and the Army Tribes who have lived on the island of Rempang since at least 1834," said Ahlul Fadli, Coordinator of Media and Law Enforcement, Wahana. Indonesian Environment (Walhi) Riau, Saturday (9/9/2023).

The relocation of residents on Pulau Rempang also caught the attention of the Education and Teacher Association (P2G). It was stated that P2G had around 36 schools in Galang District, Rempang Island. P2G condemned the actions of joint officers who fired tear gas during clashes with residents last week. A number of students were hit by tear gas and experienced trauma, and one of them reportedly suffered injuries.

Iman Zanatul Haeri as Head of P2G Teacher Advocacy Division hopes that the relocation plan must continue to prioritize child education services.

"In Galang District there are around 36 schools from elementary to upper middle levels. This requires careful preparation and does not reduce children's right to study safely and comfortably," said Iman in a statement received by VOI.

Considering that there are around 36 schools in Galang District, Rempang Island, it is estimated that thousands of children have experienced school relocation or are affected. This is not an easy matter," Iman added.

In almost every case of eviction, land certificates are always a problem. Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Defense Agency (ATR/BPN), Hadi Tjahjanto explained that the land living in the area does not have a Cultivation Right (HGU).

This was conveyed during a Working Meeting (Raker) with Commission II of the DPR RI at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Tuesday, September 12.

"People who occupy Pulau Rempang do not have certificates because in the past everything was under the Batam authority," said Hadi.

According to Hadi, the government has approached the local community. Hadi said nearly 50 percent of its citizens accepted the proposal that had been submitted.

However, this claim was denied by the Chairperson of the Advocacy and Network of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) Zainal Arifin. He said the construction of the Rempang Eco City project had a number of flaws. Among them is no Strategic Environment Studies (KLHS) and there is no luck in the spatial planning (RTRW).

According to Zainal, the Land Management Rights (HPL) certificate given by the Ministry of ATR/BPN to the Batam Development Agency (BP) to manage Pulau Rempang until now cannot be proven.

"In the Rempang Eco City project, it can be ascertained that there are many procedures and environmental problems," said Zainal.

Meanwhile, Secretary General of the Agrarian Reform Consortium (KPA), Dewi Kartika explained that HPL is a new type of land right. HPL does not have a basis in the Agrarian Basic Law, but is very strongly used by the government for investment purposes.

"When a body or institution is given HPL, the agency or institution can transact with a third party to provide Cultivation Rights (HGU), Building Use Rights (HGB), and even Ownership Certificates (SHM). This is where the problem is very dangerous," said Dewi.