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Govt urges locals to move from Rempang soon
During a meeting on Tuesday, BP Batam chief Muhammad Rudi said residents of Rempang were given the choice of relocating to Tanjung Banon, still on the island, or to the neighboring Galang island.
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A resident of Sembulang district on Rempang island in Riau Island shows a form and terms for relocation in this photo taken on Sept. 17, 2023. Local authorities have been persuading residents to relocate to make way for an eco-city project on the island, backed by China glass manufacturing company Xinyi Group. (Antara/Teguh Prihatna)
Authorities are urging residents on Rempang in Riau Islands to immediately relocate to make way for the eco-city project on the island, amid opposition from locals over insufficient compensation for the affected people
On Tuesday, Batam mayor and Batam Development Authority (BP Batam) head Muhammad Rudi met with several residents in Sembulang subdistrict on Rempang to hold a dialogue regarding their relocation.
The government is planning to build an eco-city project on Rempang, which will house manufacturing plants for glass and solar panels. To make way for the 2,300-hectare industrial area, which is the first phase of the whole project, authorities would need to relocate around 700 households from Sembulang.
The initial plan was to move the locals to neighboring Galang island, but this was met with resistance. Authorities then altered the plan to have them move to a different part of the island following demands from the residents.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Rudi urged residents to sign a consent letter for the relocation as soon as possible and choose where they want to be relocated. Rudi was accompanied by Barelang Police chief Sr. Comr. Nugroho Tri Nuryanto, Batam Military commander Lt. Col. Galih Bramantyo and Batam District Attorney head Herlina Setyorini during his visit to Sembalung.
“The current choices are either moving to Tanjung Banon or Galang island. That’s my offer,” Rudi told residents in the meeting. Tanjung Banon is located 12 kilometers southward, or around a 20-minute drive from Sembalung.
