South Sumatra Governor Urges Transmigration Bill to Resolve Asset Issues
Palembang (ANTARA) - The Governor of South Sumatra, Herman Deru, is urging the Draft Law (RUU) on Transmigration to provide legal certainty while resolving issues concerning assets and infrastructure in former transmigration areas.
Speaking in Palembang on Monday, Herman Deru stated that the issue of assets in former transmigration zones needs to be a priority in the drafting of new regulations, as several pieces of infrastructure currently lack clear management status.
“The transmigration programme plays a significant role in the regional development and economic growth of South Sumatra. Therefore, transmigration regulations need to adapt to the evolving conditions of these areas,” he said.
According to the Governor, one of the ongoing challenges is the lack of a definitive process for transferring assets and infrastructure from the central government to local authorities.
“There has been no explicit handover of these assets to the provincial or regency governments. However, the public perceives these as the responsibility of the Regent and the Governor,” he noted.
He added that the issue is not merely about disputes over ownership, but also concerns the capacity of regency and municipal governments to revitalise existing infrastructure.
Based on previous inventories, the total length of transmigration roads in South Sumatra reaches approximately 4,000 kilometres.
“This infrastructure represents an important legacy of the transmigration programme that is still utilised by the community today, including roads, health facilities, and office buildings,” he said.
He cited the Lalan transmigration area in Musi Banyuasin Regency, which began developing in the 1990s and has since become an advanced area, as an example. However, the development of this area still faces infrastructure challenges.
Similar issues were found in the Kikim former transmigration area, which has developed into a centre for agriculture and plantations but lacks adequate infrastructural support.
In addition to land-based asset issues, the Governor also highlighted transmigration areas in maritime regions, such as Pulau Rimau, which has been active since 1982. This area faces sedimentation in shipping lanes that has not been optimally addressed, a condition feared to hinder the activities of local farmers and disrupt the distribution of agricultural produce.
“Therefore, I request that this Bill be able to accommodate these issues,” he stated.
Herman Deru hopes that the discussion of the Transmigration Bill will serve as a momentum to comprehensively inventory the various legacies of the Ministry of Transmigration related to regional development.
“If we are to use this Law as a guide for regional development, the first step must be to inventory the heritage of the Ministry of Transmigration,” he concluded.