BNPP and Karimun Regency Discuss Accelerating Border Infrastructure Development
The National Border Management Agency of the Republic of Indonesia (BNPP RI) facilitated an audience with the Deputy Regent of Karimun, Rocky Marciano Bawole, on Friday (18/09/2026). The meeting addressed the acceleration of infrastructure development and the fulfilment of basic community needs in the border area of Karimun Regency, Riau Islands.
This audience was part of the coordination between BNPP RI and the local government to discuss development priorities for Karimun. The discussions covered basic services, connectivity, the strengthening of the community economy, and security within the border region.
BNPP RI Secretary Makhruzi Rahman stated that meeting basic needs, particularly access to clean water and electricity, is a crucial aspect of managing border areas. This aligns with BNPP RI’s mandate to coordinate the fulfilment of basic community needs on border islands.
“All regional priorities, especially in border areas, are fundamentally the same. This concerns basic services, water, and electricity. Under the Border Law, BNPP also coordinates the fulfilment of basic needs on border islands,” Makhruzi said in a statement on Friday (18/09/2026).
During the session, Makhruzi presented the targets and achievements of the 2026 Action Plan for the Management of National Border Areas and Border Regions (BWN-KP) for Karimun Regency. The discussed programmes include the rehabilitation and renovation of schools, the construction of government facilities in border areas, the development of Raja Haji Abdullah Karimun Airport, and the expansion of the agricultural and plantation sectors.
Beyond development, BNPP RI also highlighted several border management issues in Karimun. These include the mobility of Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI), illegal crossings via unofficial routes or ports, and the potential for human trafficking (TPPO) and the smuggling of goods, such as narcotics, cigarettes, ammunition, and tin sand.
Makhruzi emphasised the need to strengthen the security sector to anticipate various illegal activities while ensuring that the movement of people and goods in the border area complies with regulations.
From the local government’s perspective, Deputy Regent of Karimun Rocky Marciano Bawole presented six flagship development programmes for Karimun Regency. These include increasing economic growth and reducing regional inequality, improving the quality of human resources in religion, education, and health, creating 5,000 jobs, enhancing connectivity, fulfilling basic water and electricity needs, and improving the quality of public services.
Rocky noted that Karimun possesses several economic potentials that can be developed, including maritime industry, manufacturing, construction, and services, international trade and logistics, tourism, creative economy, MSMEs, fisheries and marine sectors, as well as metal and rock mineral mining.
As a region bordering Malaysia and Singapore via the Malacca Strait, Karimun holds a strategic position for international shipping activities, industry and logistics, cross-border economic cooperation, and the development of the marine and fisheries sectors.
To support development in 2027, the Karimun Regency Government has proposed several priority programmes, including the construction of sewage sludge treatment plants and supporting transport facilities, as well as new piping networks for the Drinking Water Supply System (SPAM). Other proposals include the revitalisation of the Sri Karimun Market, 500 metres of coastal protection at Pongkar, and the construction of communal Solar Power Plants (PLTS).
Further proposals include the upgrading of national roads on Karimun Island, increasing maritime fleets, providing sea ambulance speedboats, installing street lighting in the Moro and Meral Barat districts, constructing a seawall/SWRO in Tokong Hiu, developing the Tokong Hiu Navy Post, building elementary schools in Karimun and Tebing, procuring 3,000-litre capacity fire engines, and constructing swimming pools.
The audience served as a coordination space for BNPP RI and the Karimun Regency Government to align regional development needs with the border management agenda. The discussions were directed towards ensuring that infrastructure development, basic services, economic strengthening, and security effectively address the needs of the community in the Karimun border region.