Deputy Minister Viva: Transmigration Land Must Be Clear, Clean, and Free

Deputy Minister of Transmigration Viva Yoga Mauladi visited the Kikim Transmigration Area in Lahat Regency, South Sumatra Province, on Monday (13/7/2027). His arrival in Sukoharjo Village, East Kikim District, was warmly received by transmigrants, school students, teachers, village heads, local government officials, members of the Regional House of Representatives, Lahat Regent Bursah Sarnubi, and Deputy Regent Widia Ningsih. Wamen Viva officiated the construction and rehabilitation of school facilities in the transmigration area. During his speech, he noted that transmigrants from Java first arrived in Lahat in 1982, with 400 families placed in settlement unit one and 500 families in settlement unit two. The transmigration programme continued until 2016. After 44 years, the area, which was once forest, has transformed into a village with various facilities. “In the past, transmigration was carried out in a top-down manner, directly from the central government’s programme,” Wamen Viva stated in a written release on Wednesday (15/7/2026). He explained that transmigration is now conducted in a bottom-up, decentralised manner, based on the initiative or desire of the local government itself. “It is proven that transmigration can create growth centres, hence there are 60 proposals from regents to open new transmigration areas,” he said.