House Special Committee Gathers Input from Maluku Government on Archipelagic Regions Bill

The deliberation of the Archipelagic Regions Bill continues to progress. The Special Committee (Pansus) of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), together with the Regional Representative Council (DPD RI) Working Team, is gathering various inputs from the Maluku Provincial Government and regional stakeholders to ensure the regulation can address the real needs of archipelagic communities. This meeting with the Maluku Government is part of an effort to enrich the substance of the Archipelagic Regions Bill, which is currently being discussed jointly by the DPR Special Committee, the DPD Working Team, and the Government. The various inputs provided are expected to strengthen policy alignment for regions with archipelagic geographical characteristics. Graal Taliawo, Deputy Chair of the DPD RI Working Team for the Archipelagic Regions Bill, emphasised that the struggle to deliver a specific regulation for archipelagic regions has been ongoing since 2017 and has now entered a crucial stage in the national legislative process. ‘The struggle to present the Archipelagic Regions Law has been a long journey. After nine years of advocacy, the discussion has now entered an important stage with the DPR Special Committee and the Government. However, the most important thing is that this Bill must remain grounded in the real needs of archipelagic regions and the people who live in them,’ said Graal during his remarks in Ambon, Maluku, on Monday (20/7/2026). Graal argued that regional visits are an essential part of ensuring the Bill’s substance can address the various issues faced by archipelagic communities, ranging from inter-island connectivity and basic services to the management of marine potential. This view was supported by Maluku Governor Hendrik Lewerissa, who assessed that the presence of the Archipelagic Regions Bill is expected to deliver policies that are more favourable to archipelagic regions. ‘What we actually hope for from the Archipelagic Regions Bill is real alignment for archipelagic communities. Our challenges are different from mainland areas, ranging from connectivity and transportation costs to public services that reach many islands. Therefore, we hope this Bill can deliver fairer policies and truly answer the needs of archipelagic communities,’ stated Hendrik. Through this working visit, various inputs were deemed to be in line with the spirit championed by the DPR Special Committee and the DPD Working Team through the Archipelagic Regions Bill, namely to deliver affirmative policies that are more adaptive and capable of addressing the unique challenges of archipelagic regions while promoting equitable development and improving community welfare across all parts of Indonesia.