Meranti Regent Highlights Border Region Challenges, Seeks Central Support

H. Asmar, the Regent of Kepulauan Meranti, has voiced significant concerns regarding the development challenges faced by Indonesia's frontline border regions. During an audience with the National Border Management Agency (BNPP) in Jakarta, Asmar detailed the unique struggles of Meranti, a region situated at the country's edge.

"The Kepulauan Meranti Regency is a frontline area of the country with enormous potential. However, we also face real challenges, from the isolation of the region, limited basic infrastructure, to coastal abrasion that continues to threaten border areas every year," Asmar stated in a written release on Friday.

His visit aimed to discuss policy directions and propose accelerated development for border areas. Asmar presented six urgent strategic needs to the BNPP, led by Secretary Makhruzi Rahman. These include a critical need for enhanced road infrastructure accessibility, which requires serious attention from the central government. Furthermore, he stressed the importance of sustainable coastal protection to combat abrasion, which not only impacts the environment but also poses a risk to national sovereignty lines and community farmlands.

Additional proposals from the Meranti Regency government include the construction of an international port or a State Border Crossing Post (PLBN). Such a facility would serve as a formal entry and exit point, facilitating public mobility and providing a regulated, safe, and orderly mechanism for protecting migrant workers. In healthcare, Asmar requested a sea ambulance to improve medical services for residents on remote islands, where geographical conditions often hinder access. He also expressed hope for the expansion of school revitalization programs to cover all border areas. Regarding housing, Asmar mentioned that verification for 763 potential recipients of the 'House Not Fit for Habitation' (RTLH) quality improvement program, funded by the Self-Help Housing Stimulant Assistance (BSPS) scheme, has been completed. He urged for the prompt realization of these funds to provide decent, healthy, and safe housing for border communities.