BNPP Hosts Public Lecture, Invites Students to Boost Economy in Border Areas
The National Border Management Agency (BNPP) of Indonesia has once again organised the BNPP MENYALA (Directly Engaging Students) programme, packaged as an interactive public lecture at the Ben Mboi Polytechnic, National Defence University (Unhan) RI, in Belu Regency, East Nusa Tenggara.
The public lecture was opened by the Deputy for State Border Management at BNPP RI, Nurdin, who presented material on the complexities of managing the borders of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. In his presentation, he emphasised that Indonesia shares maritime borders with ten countries and land borders with three countries, necessitating strong, integrated, and sustainable governance.
According to Nurdin, border development is not merely about safeguarding sovereignty but also serves as an instrument to improve the welfare of border communities.
“Without an advanced economy and high productivity, welfare will take a long time to achieve. Therefore, building borders means building the economy of its people,” he stated in a written remark on Sunday (26/4/2026).
As an agency led by the Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri), Muhammad Tito Karnavian, who serves as the Head of BNPP RI ex officio, this event held on Saturday (25/4) represents a strategic effort by BNPP RI to strengthen young people’s understanding of state border area management as a crucial part of Indonesia’s future.
On that occasion, Nurdin also encouraged students to utilise State Border Crossings (PLBN) as field learning laboratories. He explained that the increasing movement of people and goods at integrated PLBNs is an indicator of economic progress and a golden opportunity that must be managed optimally, particularly at PLBN Motaain and Motamasin, which are central to economic growth in NTT and the main suppliers of needs to Timor Leste.
“Indonesia’s future is not just in Jakarta. Indonesia’s future lies at the state border lines. As per BNPP’s motto, We Guard the Territory, We Prosper the People,” Nurdin asserted.
The second speaker, BNPP RI Expert Group member Hamidin, presented material on geopolitics and the urgency of Indonesia’s borders amid global dynamics. He assessed that global geopolitical tensions directly impact global economic and political stability, so future border management must focus on strengthening the economy and bilateral cooperation.
“Speaking of future borders is not enough to just talk about defence and security. That is important, but the main focus is to revitalise the economy through equal cooperation,” said Hamidin.
He stressed the importance of technology-based border management, strengthening the role of Border Liaison Officers (BLO), and inter-agency synchronisation to make border management more effective and modern.
Furthermore, Hamidin is optimistic that with integrated management, Indonesia’s border areas in the next decade will become advanced regions comparable to world border management models.
“In the end, the ones who will feel the impact the most are the border communities who will become increasingly prosperous,” he said.
Meanwhile, the third speaker, Lieutenant Colonel Arm Dr. Erlan Wijatmoko, explained the strategic role and functions of the RI-RDTL Eastern Sector Border Guard Task Force Yonarmed 12/Kostrad as the frontline guardians in the border areas. He affirmed that the border guard task force’s duties are not only focused on security but also on territorial activities to assist border communities as a manifestation of the state’s presence.
From the academic side, the Dean of the Military Logistics Vocational Faculty at Unhan RI, Air Marshal TNI Dr. Penny Radjendra, hopes that this public lecture will enrich students’ strategic insights. He views the presented material as essential preparation for building competencies and readiness to face future challenges, particularly in logistics and border area management, while opening broader cooperation opportunities between Unhan RI and BNPP RI.
The Head of the Bureau of Finance, General Affairs, and Public Relations at BNPP RI, Belly Isnaeni, added that through BNPP MENYALA, students are expected not only to understand the role and functions of BNPP RI but also to develop concern and enthusiasm to contribute to safeguarding the sovereignty of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.