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coastal region in Riau province has expressed its aspiration to form an autonomous province called Riau Pesisir.

The idea, which was first floated in 2001, died down before resurfacing recently due to the residents’ disappointment with the Riau provincial administration.

The new province is expected to encompass five administrative regions that reportedly have deep historical and emotional ties, namely Bengkalis, Siak, Rokan Hilir, Meranti Islands regencies and Dumai municipality.

“A number of community groups, spearheaded by youth organizations, have held a meeting in Dumai and agreed that establishing an autonomous province is the right move. The autonomy committee has also been formed,” Bengkalis Pemuda Pancasila youth organization chapter head Dakeslim said in a recent interview.

According to Dakeslim, the idea of an autonomous province was based on the fact that the development of the region in coastal areas was lagging behind those of other areas inland.

“Riau is a very vast province, spanning more than 87,000 square kilometers. The new province is necessary to shorten the reins of bureaucracy and to facilitate public services in isolated and disadvantaged areas, especially coastal areas which have so far been neglected,” he said.

Bengkalis Indonesian National Youth Committee (KNPI) chapter head Zulfahmi asserted that the purpose of separation was not to pursue power, but to optimize the area’s potential for the betterment of the local people’s welfare.

According to Zulfahmi, the separation would develop new economic centers in the area. “Coastal Riau is a strategic area, as it is located in the Malacca Strait international trade route, but the people have so far just been spectators and have failed to gain any benefit from the resources,” he said.

“Riau Islands province alone could gain autonomy from Riau. It would be unreasonable if Riau Pesisir, which is rich in natural resources and inhabited by a third of Riau’s population, could not gain autonomy,” he added.

Riau Islands were formerly part of Riau province before gaining rights to govern themselves as a new province in 2002.

Salfian Daliandi, the secretary- general of Riau Pesisir Province Establishment Preparation Committee, said the committee would organize a Riau Pesisir people’s congress to garner more support for the birth of the new province.

“In terms of administrative requirements, people in five regencies and mayoralties have expressed their support. We only need commitment from regents and mayors to make it happen,” he said.

Salfian said the resources found in the coastal areas were more than adequate to finance a new province, adding that from the funding aspect the combined budget of the five regencies and Dumai in the coastal areas amounts to Rp 7 trillion (about US$778 million), exceeding the budget amount for inland Riau regencies and cities.

Bengkalis, Siak and Rokan Hilir are among the major oil and gas producing regions which contribute the largest foreign exchange revenues to the present Riau administration. Natural resources in the form of plantations and fisheries are also believed to be very promising.

“From the aspects of social, culture and economic backgrounds, the five regions are worthy of being unified under a new administration,” Salfian said.