TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo said the police would add four company-level units (SSK) or 400 personnel to Rempang Island to assist with the land measurement agenda and dissemination to residents.

“We continue to increase the number of personnel. We have added about 4 SSKs to date. And we will keep adding more personnel by adjusting to the escalation of threats,” Sigit said at the Tri Brata building, on Thursday, September 14, 2023.

Sigit, however, stressed that the police would prioritize persuasive actions to relocate Rempang residents as instructed by President Jokowi. At present, the police’s main priority is to intensify the dissemination of the relocation to the locals. The relocation is expected to be completed by September 28, 2023.

“Since the existing land belongs to the BP Batam, it must be inevitably returned to them when needed,” Sigit added.

On the other hand, the government and BP Batam would provide new locations for the locals to continue their activities so as to make ends meet.

Rempang residents oppose relocation

A Rempang resident Awangcik told Tempo that the people were not actually against the construction of the Rempang Eco-City project. But they demanded the government not to evict the 16 old villages.

“We object to the relocation. [The government] can build the area, but don't evict our 16 old villages,” he said.

Awangcik asserted that Rempang residents would remain in their villages. Until now, he claimed that the people have not been given any certainty about where they will be relocated.

Included in the 2023 National Strategic Project (PSN), Rempang Island will be developed into Rempang Eco-City. The 17,000-hectare area will become an integrated industrial, trade, and tourism area implemented by PT Makmur Elok Graha (MEG), which is a subsidiary of Artha Graha Group founded by tycoon Tomy Winata.

EKA YUDHA SAPUTRA | YOGI EKA SAHPUTRA

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