After 9-Year Wait, Archipelagic Regions Bill Advances to Crucial Stage
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Speaker of the Regional Representative Council (DPD) of the Republic of Indonesia, Sultan Bachtiar Najamudin, has highlighted the Archipelagic Regions Bill (RUU Daerah Kepulauan).
According to Sultan, for nearly nine years, since 2017, the DPD has proposed the Archipelagic Regions Bill in every National Legislation Programme, year after year, without tiring.
“That long struggle has now borne fruit. The bill has officially been included in the 2026 Priority National Legislation Programme,” he said in his opening address at the Joint Session of the DPR and DPD, Friday (14/8/2026).
He therefore expressed his highest appreciation to President Prabowo Subianto and the DPR for commencing deliberation of the Archipelagic Regions Bill. In his view, this bill will become an important legacy of President Prabowo’s administration.
“We are confident that this bill will be enacted as a historic milestone and an important legacy of President Prabowo’s administration in delivering development justice and strengthening Indonesia as an archipelagic nation,” he explained.
Previously, a member of the Special Committee for the Archipelagic Regions Bill (Pansus RUU Daerah Kepulauan DPR RI), Alimudin Kolatlena, expressed optimism that deliberation of the bill could be completed and enacted into law in 2026.
Kolatlena conveyed this optimism as substantive discussions on the bill continue to progress and strengthen, including synchronisation of the Problem Inventory List (DIM), formulation of a Special Archipelagic Fund, and strengthening protection for local communities and indigenous legal communities.
The Gerindra Party faction politician assessed that the momentum for deliberating the Archipelagic Regions Bill has become increasingly positive after the government issued a Presidential Letter (Surpres) in January 2026. According to Kolatlena, the issuance of the Surpres demonstrates the seriousness of the government together with the DPR to deliver regulations that specifically address the characteristics and needs of archipelagic regions.
“We are optimistic that the Archipelagic Regions Bill can be completed in 2026. Of course, the process must be carried out carefully, but with good communication and coordination between the DPR, the government, relevant ministries and institutions, I think that target is very achievable,” said Alimudin in a written statement, Sunday (9/8/2026).
Alimudin explained that the next stage in the legislative process will be directed at synchronising the DIM. The DPR Special Committee will harmonise various inputs from factions with the DIM submitted by relevant ministries and institutions.
This stage is important to ensure that every norm formulated does not conflict with existing laws and regulations.
“The Special Committee will harmonise proposals from all factions with the DIM from relevant ministries. We want the norms that emerge to be truly comprehensive, not overlapping, and implementable,” said the representative from the Maluku electoral district.
According to Alimudin, the deliberation is not only directed at producing a law administratively, but also ensuring that its substance is able to answer the real problems faced by communities in archipelagic regions.
The Archipelagic Regions Bill will ensure that development is not only concentrated on large islands such as Java and Sumatra, but also reaches small and remote islands.
The bill, initiated by the DPD, is based on the growing challenges related to public services as well as an effort to address economic inequality for the welfare of the people. According to him, the presence of this regulation is also a form of state presence in Indonesia’s archipelagic regions. The bill was first proposed nine years ago.