Inp.polri.go.id- Jakarta. Investment Minister/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia said that poor socialization caused the recent conflict on Rempang Island, Riau Islands.
"My guess is that the socialization has not gone well. That must be recognized and Mr. President has ordered me to go there directly," Bahlil said when attending a joint Working Meeting with Commission VI of the House of Representatives in Jakarta, on Wednesday (13/9/2023), referring to President Joko Widodo
He said that the riot that occurred on Rempang Island was also contributed other countries that do not like to see Indonesia more advanced, saying that such an incident usually occurs when Indonesia plans a big project.
"Every time we plan to build anything, there are problems (arising). Yesterday, there was a Caucasian who talked about it on TikTok that went viral. It was troubling. Why are foreigners meddling with our country, what's going on there," said the minsiter as quoted by antaranews.com.
The government has planned to build Rempang Island into Rempang Eco City, one of the projects listed in the 2023 National Strategic Program. Its development is regulated in the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Regulation Number 7 of 2023, which was approved on August 28. The project is an integrated industrial, trade and tourism area aimed at boosting competitiveness with Singapore and Malaysia.
In this area a glass and solar panel factory will also be built, which is said to be the second largest in the world after China. The investment value in this project is estimated at Rp175 trillion and could continue to increase to Rp361 trillion.
Minister Bahlil said he would immediately go directly to the Rempang Island in accordance with President Joko Widodo's direction to resolve the problem there.
