Transmigration Minister ready to inaugurate Local Transmigration programme in Papua

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Transmigration Muhammad Iftitah Sulaiman Suryanagara is ready to inaugurate the Local Transmigration programme in Papua.

“God willing, I will travel to Papua to inaugurate the Local Transmigration programme there, and this is also in line with the request of the Papuan people, who have said they also want to be empowered. The houses are already built, but they said they will not use them until the Minister arrives,” Iftitah said in Jakarta on Monday.

According to him, the local community initially rejected the programme due to lingering trauma from past transmigration policies, but they accepted it after receiving an explanation.

“Initially there was indeed resistance to transmigration when this ministry was established, because they still carried some trauma from past transmigration programmes. But after we explained what transmigration means today, they were actually very enthusiastic,” he said.

Iftitah also said that the Governor of Papua Pegunungan had requested a meeting with him to discuss opening a transmigration area in the region.

“We will support the Papuan people and empower the Papuan people. Therefore, we do not want a situation where newcomers arrive and local residents are displaced by them. That is why we have established this Local Transmigration programme,” he said.

Local Transmigration, or Translok, is a new development approach focused on strengthening the economy and infrastructure of local communities without requiring them to move far away.

The programme aims to build new towns from villages, reduce urbanisation, and improve community welfare through the use of local potential.

Through a strategy of regional development, infrastructure revitalisation, economic empowerment, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and integration of national programmes, Translok is expected to create new, independent and competitive growth centres.

The Local Transmigration programme is one of five flagship programmes of the Ministry of Transmigration. It is designed to accelerate problem-solving, improve the welfare of transmigrant communities, and build new economic zones with high competitiveness.