Sad Days in the Malay Land of Rempang

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in Hari-hari Sendu di Tanah Melayu Rempang

KOMPAS/ZULKARNAINI

Ramli's house in Kampung Pasir Panjang, Galang district, on the Rempang Island was photographed on Wednesday (27/9/2023). Ramli is not yet willing to move from the village. Ramli's village land is the target for the construction of a factory in the investment of Xinyi Group, a company from China.

The calm of residents on Rempang Island, Batam City, Riau Islands, suddenly turned anxious. The land they occupy will be used as a glass factory by foreign investors.

For the past month, Ramli (52), a resident of Pasir Panjang Village in Galang District, Pulau Rempang, has been restless. He is anxious because he keeps thinking about his fate if he has to leave the village and move to a new settlement.

The elder's heart is increasingly worried as his firstborn child, Refi (23), is currently being held in police custody. Refi is a suspect in a protest which turned violent on September 11th.

Also read: Understanding the Rempang Island Case

"I have only seen him (Refi) once because he is far away in Polres Barelang, but he is healthy," said Ramli.

When met at his home on Wednesday (27/9/2023), Ramli was knitting shrimp nets. He had not been to sea for five days. Strong winds made the weather unfriendly at sea, in addition to the unrest on land.

"I feel uneasy thinking about my child being at the police station. Especially with tomorrow being the final round. It's better to gather and watch over the village," said Ramli.

The final phase referred to by Rusli is the deadline for relocating residents, which was originally planned for September 28, 2023. However, the government has since cancelled the deadline and there is now no time limit.

Ramli lives in a wooden stilt house. The house was built with savings from fishing. In the yard, there are coconut, jackfruit, mango, and durian trees. The fragrance of the jackfruit spreads when it is gently blown by the wind. The distance between Ramli's house and the beach is only 300 meters.

Also read: Rempang Residents Hope There Will Be No Forced Relocation

Ramli stated that he is not yet ready to move from his village. Although he now lives in a wooden stilt house, he feels more peaceful living there with his wife and child. Although the government will provide compensation, land ownership, and permanent housing, he remains obstinate.

Ramli is concerned that if he lives in a new village, he will not be able to earn a living and will not be able to adapt to the new environment.

Ramli also just learned that the residents of Pasir Panjang Village will be relocated to Tanjung Banun Village. "There is no deliberation with the community here. "Previously they said they would be moved to Dapur Tiga," said Ramli.

Pasir Panjang is one of the four villages that are targeted for relocation. The other three villages are Belongkeng, Sembulang Tanjung, and Sembulang Hulu. Recently, Pasir Merah village has also been mentioned to be relocated during the initial phase. Meanwhile, 11 other villages will be relocated in the following phase.

The Ministry of Investment/Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) and Batam Industrial Development Authority want the evacuation of five villages to proceed quickly because a 2,350-hectare area will soon be handed over to investors.

On the 2,000 hectare land, a glass and solar panel factory will be built called Rempang Eco City. Meanwhile, a tower will be built on 350 hectares of land in Belongkeng. As an investor, the Xinyi Group company from China is said to be pouring in trillions of rupiah.

Also read: State Presence in the Rempang Conflict

The investment is included in the list of national strategic projects (PSN). In order to facilitate the investment plan, the government will relocate residents to two points, namely Tanjung Banun and Dapur Tiga. Both locations are still on Rempang Island. More than 950 families are targeted for relocation in the first phase. The total number of families to be relocated is up to 2,700.

Pasir Panjang is one of the four villages that are targeted for relocation. The other three villages are Belongkeng, Sembulang Tanjung, and Sembulang Hulu. Recently, Pasir Merah village has also been mentioned to be relocated during the initial phase. Meanwhile, 11 other villages will be relocated in the following phase.

The Rempang Island has an area of 17,500 hectares, some of which are still classified as forests. There are 16 villages on the island, with the majority of its inhabitants being of Malay ethnic group. They have been living there for hundreds of years, long before Indonesia's independence.

However, Presidential Decree (Keppres) Number 41 of 1973 regarding the Batam Island Industrial Zone designates all land in Batam, including Rempang, to be under the authority of the Batam Authority Agency (BP Batam).

Residents refused

Savings for daily meals are almost depleted. Nevertheless, Yudi does not want to be far from home until there is certainty that they will not be relocated.

KOMPAS/ZULKARNAINI

Yudi bin Kasim (62), a resident of Sembulang Village, Galang District, was seen at his child's grave. Yudi is one of the residents who refused to be relocated.

He lives in a permanent home that was built from the hard work of fishing. Built in 1991, he spent his days in that house until he became elderly. "I did not receive a single cent of government assistance to build this house. All of it was from my fishing income," said Yudi.

Yudi is a third-generation born and raised in Rempang. His father, Kasim, and grandfather, Musa, were also born in Rempang. Yudi remembers his grandfather as a fighter against the Japanese army. His grandfather's name, Musa, has now been chosen as the name for a soccer field in the district.

Observations from Kompas on Wednesday (27/9/2023), residents in Sembulang and Pasir Panjang villages carried out more activities at home and in the village. They chose not to go to sea because they were worried that there would be government activity to empty the village.

Also read: Government Will Continue to Move Rempang Residents

Lia Anjani (33), a resident of Sembulang, also refuses to be relocated. The woman who has three children says that she has not yet been willing to move. Her emotional attachment to the land of her birth makes it impossible for her to leave the village.

"If forced to relocate, I will not resist, but I will still stay inside my house. I will not want to leave my house," said Lia.

Meanwhile, the Head of Batam Industrial Development Agency and also the Mayor of Batam, Muhammad Rudi, stated that investment is a national interest and the future of the Riau Islands community. According to him, the investment by Xinyi Group will absorb a lot of labor force and make Batam, especially Rempang, much more advanced.

"In the future, we will provide scholarships for higher education to young people from Rempang, but the field of study must align with the needs of the company," said Rudi.

KOMPAS/ZULKARNAINI

The atmosphere of Pasir Panjang village in Galang sub-district on Rempang Island was captured on Wednesday (27/9/2023). This location is part of the plan for the construction of a glass and solar panel factory by Chinese company, Xinyi Group. The government has decided to relocate residents, but most of them refused.

Rudi stated that the first phase of relocated residents will be placed in Tanjung Banun, a village situated on the coast. A new village will be built at the location, which he referred to as a model village with comprehensive facilities.

However, before the housing is built, the residents must reside in rental homes. BP Batam bears the cost of the rent. Each family receives IDR 1.2 million per month. Not only that, residents are also given waiting period money of IDR 1.2 million per person per month until the permanent relocation housing is completed at the relocation site.

When the new settlement in Tanjung Banun is completed, residents will be moved there. That is when new residents will be given certificates of land and building ownership. Each family will be given a 500 square meter plot of land and one 45-type house unit priced at Rp 120 million. BP Batam will also pay for other assets owned by residents, such as land, boats, and crops.

Also read: Rempang, National Strategic Projects and Social Wounds

Rudi hopes that with all of these various offers, residents will not feel disadvantaged. As of Wednesday (27/9/2023), BP Batam stated that 317 families have agreed to be relocated, while 467 families have consulted regarding the relocation. Rudi believes that residents who have consulted will agree to move.

The relocation is no longer determined by a deadline, but Rudi believes that over time, residents will accept the move. Socialization is done in a humane manner so as not to create anxiety for the residents.

ZULKARNAINI/KOMPAS

The atmosphere in Tanjung Banun Village, Galang District, Rempang Island, Riau Islands (on Tuesday, 26th of September, 2023) is the relocation site for residents in Rempang. Five villages are the priority for the initial relocation, namely Belongkeng, Pasir Panjang, Pasir Merah, Sembulang Tanjung, and Sembulang Hulu. Approximately 950 families are located in those villages.

Contacted separately, the economics lecturer at Raja Ali Haji Maritime University in Tanjung Pinang, Winata Wira, stated that the Rempang Eco City investment seems to be extremely forced. The residents of Rempang and the Indonesian community were not given the opportunity to conduct a joint study on the investment plan.

Since the government decided to withdraw investment in Rempang Island, the days for the Malay community in Rempang are now filled with anxiety.

Also read: Rempang Island Conflict and Evaluation of National Strategic Projects