Prabowo Returns 4 Aceh-Owned Islands, Member Of Commission II Of The DPR: Lessons For The Ministry Of Home Affairs Take Decisions

North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution command greetings with Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf witnessed by Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi/ANTARA/HO-Diskominfo North Sumatra

JAKARTA - Member of Commission II of the House of Representatives Muhammad Khozin welcomed President Prabowo Subianto's decision regarding the 4 islands that became disputes between Aceh Province and North Sumatra Province.

Presiden Prabowo memutuskan 4 pulau yang status administrasinya sempat menimbulkan polemik itu kini kembali menjadi milik Aceh.

According to Khozin, President Prabowo's decision regarding the 4 islands was appropriate because it was based on historical and social aspects. He hopes that this presidential step will be a lesson for the Minister of Home Affairs in making every decision.

"The President's decision is quite appropriate, showing decisions based on history and paying attention to the sociological aspects of society," said M Khozin, Wednesday, June 18.

The four islands that became disputes were Panjang Island, Lipan Island, Mangkir Gadang Island, and Mangkir Ketek Island. The determination of the 4 islands as Aceh belongs to the government's administrative documents.

In making the decision, President Prabowo invited the Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, the Governor of Aceh Muzakir Manaf, and the Governor of North Sumatra Bobby Nasution to discuss and reach an agreement.

President Prabowo's decision also annulled the transfer of the status of the four islands which were previously stipulated in the Decree of the Minister of Home Affairs (Kepmendagri) Number 300.2.2-2138/2025 concerning Code Provision and Update, Regional Data on Government and Island Administration. The Minister of Home Affairs was issued on April 25, 2025 and became a polemic and drew criticism from the public.

Khozin also hopes that President Prabowo's decision can make the situation conducive again and end the polemic between the two neighboring provinces.

"Hopefully the situation will calm down again, because in fact the four islands have been managed by the Province of NAD (Aceh)," he said.

Khozin reminded that similar problems do not happen again in the future. According to the Council Member who is familiarly called Gus Khozin, the inauguration of topographical names that trigger polemics should not be the only basis for determining an area.

"Because there are other factors that are no less substantial, namely historical and traditional matters. This is the alpa in the Minister of Home Affairs Decree No. 300.2.2-2138 of 2025," explained Gus Khozin.

Khozin also hopes that the polemic of the four islands between Aceh and North Sumatra can be a lesson for the Ministry of Home Affairs in updating the policy of regional determination and topographic naming.

According to a member of the Commission in the DPR in charge of government administration and regional autonomy affairs, this case shows that the administrative technical approach alone is not enough.

He also emphasized the need for a more thorough understanding of local dynamics, including history, customs, and the aspirations of the community.

"This incident is an important lesson from the Ministry of Home Affairs," concluded Khozin.