West Java Governor KDM Inaugurates LPM RI Board, Pushes for Accelerated Village Development
West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi attended the inauguration of the National Community Empowerment Institution (DPP LPM RI) board at Gedung Merdeka in Bandung on Friday. Ahmad Doli Kurnia Tandjung was officially appointed as chairman for the 2025-2030 period. Mulyadi, known as KDM, immediately called on the new board to collaborate on accelerating development down to the village level. “I hope LPM becomes a driving force and partner for the West Java Provincial Government in accelerating development from villages and sub-districts, such as dredging rivers, paving roads, building houses for the poor, and installing electricity networks,” KDM said in a written statement on Monday.
He also urged LPM to oversee the acceleration of fund distribution from the province to villages to ensure it remains environmentally based. KDM stressed that improving the village economy is crucial to prevent residents from being lured by false promises of high salaries elsewhere, which often leads to cases of human trafficking. “I must apologise. There are 12 residents from West Java working in an entertainment venue in Maumere. Their wages were not paid, and they suffered abuse and harassment. I am working to repatriate them, and the venue owner is facing criminal proceedings. We continue to provide assistance,” KDM explained.
Beyond human trafficking, KDM highlighted the high circulation of online gambling money in his region, which has reached IDR 2.5 trillion. He urged residents to immediately curb this harmful habit. Large-scale debt traps from online loans are also a serious concern for the governor. Another troubling social issue is the circulation of the hard drug tramadol, which has alarmingly reached small village stalls. Responding to this, KDM insisted on the need for collective resistance from all elements of society. “All citizens must create a structured movement from the central to the regional level to fight back. This is not just a crime; it is a global problem that can cripple the future of our children and the next generation,” he said.
Meanwhile, DPP LPM RI Chairman Ahmad Doli Kurnia Tandjung stated his readiness to make the institution a strategic partner of the government. He said the organisation will promote national progress starting with accelerated village development. This development strategy will no longer use a top-down method but rather a bottom-up approach that prioritises community participation. Doli also warned of various social threats that are gradually eroding rural community life. He specifically mentioned drug abuse, child violence, human trafficking, and LGBT issues. He assessed that this chain of threats could potentially weaken society if not prevented and addressed early on.