Tito And Mahfud MD Visit Border Areas In Maluku, Including Islands That Are Only Occupied By The TNI And 17 Families

Photo via Antara.

JAKARTA - Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian and Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD distributed a number of aid to border areas in Maluku in the 2023 Border Area Integrated Development Movement (Gerbangdutas) series.

"Distributed to 12 sub-districts of Priority Location (Lokpri) border areas," said Acting Secretary of the National Border Management Agency (BNPP), Robert Simbolon in Ambon, Thursday, June 15, as reported by Antara.

The 12 sub-districts are Letti, Moa, North Kisar, South Kisar, Mdona Hiera, Masela Island, West Wetar District, Wetar, East Wetar, North Wetar, Barbaric Island, and South Island District.

Robert added, in addition to the 850 food packages, assistance for 12 Lokpri sub-districts, including for the Outer Island Security Task Force (Pamputer Task Force) is 30 units of 7.5 PK-powered attached motors and six units of 300 watt generators, and six solar cells. 500 w.

"The Rp7.7 trillion fund for the construction of the border area is used by 28 ministries and institutions (K/L), most of which are members of the BNPP, while Maluku has a share of Rp760 billion," said Robert.

Robert explained that the declaration of the 2023 Gerbangdutas was a simultaneous national movement as a symbol of the start of development in the country's border area for the year in accordance with the government's work plan.

In 2023, the Central Government allocated a budget of more than IDR 7.7 trillion to support the implementation of the State and Border Areas Management Action Plan (PBWN-KP).

Robert revealed that before starting a series of events for the 2023 Gerbangdutas on Moa Island, the Minister of Home Affairs and the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs will visit one of the Outermost Small Islands (PPKT), namely Meatimiarang Island, in Mdona Hiera District, Southwest Maluku Regency (MBD).

Meatimiarang Island, which has an area of 13.29 square kilometers, was originally an unpopulated island and was only inhabited by the TNI Pamputer Task Force. Now, Meatimiarang Island is inhabited by 17 families (KK) whose livelihoods are fishermen.

On Meatimiarang Island, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs and the Minister of Home Affairs, in addition to checking the facilities and infrastructure of the Pamputer Task Force, they will also have a dialogue with Pamputer Task Force personnel as well as provide assistance to the Pamtas Task Force and the people on the island.

Furthermore, the Minister of Home Affairs and the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs are scheduled to visit the Integrated Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Center (SKPT) Tiakur Pulau Moa.

The declaration of the 2023 Gerbangdutas, will be marked by the inauguration of a number of facilities and infrastructure whose work is completed in 2022.

The project to be inaugurated is the preservation of roads on Leti Island, the reconstruction of the 174 km Kliis-Nyama road, the replacement of the 20-meter-long Wear Nuwewang Bridge on Leti Island, the construction of the SMAN 20 Masela Island building, the construction of the SMAN 9 chemical laboratory building, Moa District, and the construction of the Penok Tiakur General Hospital.

During the 2023 Gerbangdutas, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs and the Minister of Home Affairs were accompanied by high-ranking BNPP officials, at the Acting Deputy for Potential Management of BNPP Border Areas, Gutmen Nainggolan, Deputy for Border Area Infrastructure Management, Jeffry Apoly Rahawarin, and the BNPP Expert Group (Pokli) Hamidin and Ali H. Bogra.