Jakarta. Transmigration Minister Iftitah Sulaiman Suryanagara on Monday issued an apology to the residents of Rempang Island, who were forcibly relocated under the previous administration to make way for a national industrial and residential project.

The administration of former President Joko Widodo designated the Rempang Eco City as a strategic national project, leading to the displacement of local communities beginning in late 2023. The relocation efforts were met with resistance, sparking clashes between residents and authorities.

Speaking at his office in Jakarta, Minister Iftitah acknowledged that the government's approach was inappropriate and lacked sensitivity toward the rights of affected communities.

“On behalf of the government, allow me to extend an apology for the mistreatment in the past,” Iftitah said. “Transmigration must be voluntary to begin with. It’s understandable if they opposed the relocation.”

He added that land use on the island is overseen by the Batam Development Authority (BP Batam), and that many long-time residents were considered illegal occupants due to their lack of formal land ownership documents.

Iftitah also vowed to spend the upcoming Eid al-Fitr holidays with Rempang residents and to deliver a public apology following communal prayers.

Coercive Measures
The conflict reached a boiling point in September 2023, when police forces deployed tear gas to disperse residents who attempted to block land measurement and boundary-marking activities carried out by local authorities. The heavy-handed response drew national criticism and sparked broader conversations about land rights, indigenous communities, and development priorities.

At the time, National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo blamed the unrest on residents, claiming that prior negotiations and financial settlements had already been agreed upon with many of those affected.

Despite the resistance, hundreds of families were eventually relocated to Tanjung Banun, a coastal area in southern Rempang where BP Batam constructed new homes and basic infrastructure for them.

Why Rempang Matters
Located just south of Batam Island and in close proximity to Singapore, Rempang Island covers around 17,000 hectares, of which 10,000 hectares are designated as conservation areas and the remaining 7,000 hectares classified as habitable and developable land.

The central government plans to develop 2,500 hectares of that land into a major industrial zone as part of the Rempang Eco City project. The area is set to attract large-scale investment from international firms, most notably Xinyi Group, a leading Chinese glass manufacturer that has committed to investing $11 billion in building a factory on the island.

The project is expected to boost Indonesia's industrial output and generate employment opportunities, but the social and environmental costs have drawn mounting criticism from civil society groups and human rights organizations.