Police Chief of Riau Strengthens Public Order and Security During Ramadan, Launches Joint Community with Ride-Hailing Drivers and Students
The Police Chief of Riau Province, Inspector General Herry Heryawan, launched a community initiative involving ride-hailing drivers and students across Riau to strengthen public order and safety during the holy month of Ramadan. The event was held at the Riau Police Mobile Brigade Headquarters on Monday, 9 March 2026, and was attended by senior police officials, hundreds of ride-hailing drivers, and students.
In his remarks, Inspector General Heryawan presented a compelling philosophical perspective on the relationship between police, ride-hailing drivers, and students. He described the three groups as entities that bring life to the streets of Pekanbaru.
“Students are the spark of ideas, ride-hailing drivers are the drivers of the economy, and police ensure that spark becomes light that illuminates, not fire that burns one’s own house,” said Inspector General Heryawan.
The police chief emphasised the importance of ride-hailing drivers beyond their role as mere transportation service providers accessible through applications. He acknowledged the hopes and dreams that lie behind their uniforms—the aspirations of their families to rise from difficult economic circumstances.
“But behind it are family dreams, family hopes for these ride-hailing drivers to bring rice home to feed their families,” he said.
The police chief shared an inspirational story about a law graduate from Gadjah Mada University who achieved a Grade Point Average of 3.99 despite working as a ride-hailing driver every day. He used this example to inspire the audience that socioeconomic status is not a barrier to success.
“While waiting for orders, he completed his assignments. Hard work is not a matter of social status, but rather determination, resilience, and hard work are not obstacles to success,” he explained.
In line with the Green Policing initiative, Inspector General Heryawan symbolically presented Ramadan aid packages and tree seedlings to representatives of ride-hailing drivers and students. This underscored that their collaboration should also contribute to environmental conservation.
Regarding social dynamics, the police chief emphasised that his institution remains open to feedback from both students and ride-hailing drivers. “The Riau Police are not afraid of criticism, whether from students or ride-hailing drivers. As long as the aim is to build, we will keep the door to dialogue wide open,” he affirmed.