Conflict On The Island Of Rempang, Kajari Batam: We Are Ready To Bridge Two-way Communications

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo said the problem on Pulau Rempang was due to poor communication. According to him, there has been an agreement if the community will be given a 500 meter land and a type 45 building. "That is not good communication. I think if residents are invited to talk and given a solution because there is actually an agreement that residents will be given 500 meters of land plus the building is type 45. But this is not communicated properly so that a problem occurs. Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow the Minister of Investment Bahlil Lahadalia will go there to provide an explanation, especially who will get the replacement," he said. Responding to this, Batam District Attorney's Head Herlina Setyorini said that his party as a law enforcement agency was ready to bridge communication between policy makers and the local community regarding the problems that occurred on Pulau Rempang.

"The Batam District Prosecutor's Office, especially the Datun Sector, provides itself as a liaison for communication between policy makers and the public and vice versa," said Herlina to reporters in Jakarta, Friday, September 15, 2023. Her party also admitted that she was very concerned about the conditions that occurred in Batam. "For that, we ask all parties to refrain from making a fuss by providing comments that can trigger public anger. Let's keep this beloved Batam city calm and comfortable," he said. Meanwhile, Pelita Harapan University Political Communication Expert, Emrus Sihombing assessed that not only communication can be used as a solution to solving the problem of Pulau Rempang.

"It is not only resolved by communication, but other issues must be posed, legal issues, problems of injustice, problems say economics. Although the Rempang problem may be compiled, I am sure the solution can be done by communication," said Emrus. Then what kind of communication should be done in approaching the community, so that it can prevent friction between the community from happening?

"Saya melihat proyek Rempang ini tidak dimulai dengan komunikasi yang strategis, efektif, persuasif dan partisipatif. jadi saya melihat di awal tidak dilakukan ini, sehingga menimbulkan persoalan. Coba saja semuanya dimulai dengan komunikasi misalnya berdialog, diskusi dan mendengar. Mendengar merepukan salah satu skill komunikasi, para pengambil kebijakan sudahkah mendengar, menyimak, mengajak masyarakat diskusi? sudah ada belum titik temu?," katanya lagi.Jika hal tersebut sudah dilakukan, lanjutnya, barulah dimulai proyek pembangunan. Untuk itu, perlu dimulai dengan komunikasi yang maksimal agar semua masyarakat dapat memahami dengan baik, jika sudah menerima dengan baik bahwa mereka akan diganti untung, bukan ganti rugi dan siapa saja yang berhak mendapatkan penggantian tersebut, semuanya harus jelas

"This means that the community must be placed as a subject of development. For this reason, the government, companies, law enforcers need to sit down together to discuss economic issues, justice, legal aspects and communication to be discussed together, how their territory, local culture, and others so that dialogue occurs and produces agreements," he said.