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Natuna, a tale of remote and neglected islands
The runway of Ranai Airport in Natuna, Riau Islands, spans only 2
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The runway of Ranai Airport in Natuna, Riau Islands, spans only 2.5 kilometers before meeting the vast blue South China Sea; it takes serious concentration and skill for pilots to land large planes.
The runway's asphalt, meanwhile, is in such poor condition that any plane experiences a bumpy landing.
There are no fences or trees to enclose the airport, which is separated from the rest of the island only by a low wall.
The airport serves the commercial and military needs of the Natuna archipelago. The commercial planes usually come from Batam, an hour's flight away.
Besides airplanes, people can reach Natuna using ferries, with three services visiting the island weekly.
Located between mainland Malaysia and Kalimantan, the Natuna archipelago is part of Riau Islands province. It has 154 islands, of which only 27 are inhabited, home to 85,000 residents, including 50,000 adults.
Natuna is classified as a regency and administratively divided into three parts: North Natuna with Laut Island, Central Natuna with Bunguran Island and South Natuna with Subi and Serasan Islands.
The expansive Tudjuh Islands, meanwhile, comprise Natuna Island, Tambelan Island, Anambas Island and Badas Island.
The capital of Natuna is Ranai, located on Bunguran Island, from where Regent Ilyas Sabli governs the islands, separated from most of his electorate by water.
Most of the denizens of Natuna are of Malay ethnicity, with food and traditions similar to Malaysia. A majority work as fishermen, while less than 5 percent in formal sectors like trade and the civil service.
From October to December, extreme weather stops the fishermen from going to sea; most are forced to sit idle, with no alternative means of earning money.
Just like other border areas in the country, poverty is a serious issue in Natuna, afflicting 35 percent of the population. The situation is exacerbated by the dizzying prices of staple goods.
'Eggs cost around Rp 3,000 each. We're lucky if there's even a supply; traders have to buy eggs and other goods from Batam,' said Hasnah, a villager.
The prices of staple food double or triple in the rainiest months, and food shortages are common, with traders unable to sail to Pontianak, West Kalimantan.
'We often experience near starvation, especially those who live in small islands. People from Malaysia usually help us by providing canned food at affordable prices,' explained Rizki, a resident.
Where is the government?
'Geographically, Natuna is closer to Malaysia than other islands in Indonesia, so Malaysia's help gets here faster,' Rizki said with a smile.
According to Hasnah and Rizki, people living in border islands like Natuna face obstacles to access public facilities like health clinics and schools; the supply of electricity and fresh water is also unreliable.
'We get medicine from public clinics. The wealthy go to Batam for treatment,' Hasnah said.
To study, children are forced to go the extra mile, often journeying to school in pompong boats or small ferries.
Pompong are small wooden motorboats that can accommodate 10-15 people, used for island-to-island travel in Natuna. The biggest problem with using this kind of boat is the regency's periodic gas shortages.
Another serious problem is the lack of telecommunications facilities from one island to another.
'If something happens like disaster or famine, no one knows about it because we don't have a good telecommunications provider,' said Anrizalzen, the district head of Laut Island.
He acknowledged that the residents of Laut Island could access signals from some telecommunication providers, but with an extremely weak signal.
Natuna's poverty and lack of infrastructure stand in stark contrast to the archipelago's status as a major natural gas producer.
'We need a budget of Rp 1.4 trillion, but we only get Rp 950 billion. The allocation is not enough because prices in Natuna are very expensive,' said Regent Ilyas.
The lack of funds is, according Ilyas, the reason Natuna's infrastructure is developing so slowly.
While Natuna never experiences natural disasters like tsunamis or earthquakes, Bunguran Island, for instance, is vulnerable to rising sea levels. The land level is only slightly higher than the surface of the seas, and there are no trees or mangroves to protect the islands.
The regency administration has, in light of this threat, constructed a seawall to block big waves. However, it would require a huge amount of money to shield the whole archipelago.
Ilyas added that Natuna had many potential resources besides fish and gas.
'We have tourist sites and the beaches in Natuna are very beautiful. I hope we can attract more tourists in the future,' he said.
According to Ilyas, Natuna produces no revenue of its own, depending entirely on the central government for funding.
'Tourism has the potential to add to our revenue. We should improve our infrastructure to attract more tourists,' said Ilyas, who is planning to run for a second term in the next election.
Despite the administration's development plans, residents have their own concerns about living on the periphery.
'We hope the central government will give more attention to us who live in the border areas. We need development as much as any other Indonesian citizens,' Hasnah said.
'Our hearts are red and white [like the Indonesian flag] and we are Indonesians. We'll admit, though, that our stomachs are Malaysian, because during the hard times, Malaysia helps us, while the Indonesian government is nowhere to be seen,' Rizki said.
He warned that given the islands' situation close to Malaysia, Indonesian risked losing them.
'Indonesia should pay more attention to Natuna. It has already lost two islands, Sipadan and Ligitan, to Malaysia,' he said.
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