Wiyagus: Active Role of Satlinmas Crucial to Support Smooth Development
Deputy Home Affairs Minister (Wamendagri) Akhmad Wiyagus has emphasised the importance of the active role of the Community Protection Unit (Satlinmas) in maintaining peace and order in local communities. This is important to support the smooth running of various national development programmes.
According to him, a safe and conducive environment is a prerequisite for the government’s strategic programmes that reach communities down to the village and sub-district level to run effectively.
“The government’s priority programmes that reach villages and sub-districts, such as Free Nutritious Meals, the Red and White Village and Sub-district Cooperatives, food security, poverty alleviation, and various community development agendas, require a safe, orderly, and conducive environment,” said Wiyagus at the Satlinmas Grand Assembly and Inauguration of Aslinmas Indonesia at Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium, Palembang, South Sumatra, Friday (28/8).
In a written statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Wiyagus said the potential of Satlinmas as a social and community force is very large.
Currently, there are 1,253,758 Satlinmas personnel spread across 38 provinces and 514 regencies/cities throughout Indonesia. This strength is also supported by 469,076 community security posts (poskamling) spread across various villages and sub-districts.
According to him, public peace, public order, and community protection (trantibumlinmas) are not only related to security aspects, but also serve as an important foundation for successful development. An orderly and conducive environment will provide space for the government to run various programmes optimally.
“In other words, strong trantibumlinmas not only supports security, but also serves as one of the foundations so that development can run well,” said Wiyagus.
He also expressed hope that the newly inaugurated Indonesian Community Protection Unit Association (Aslinmas) could become a strategic platform to strengthen the capacity and professionalism of Satlinmas personnel throughout Indonesia. The organisation is expected not only to be a gathering space, but also to encourage the exchange of experiences, development of innovations, and strengthening of networks among members.