President Jokowi and First Lady Iriana along with the delegation arrived at the Pekanbaru LAM Building at around 9 a.m. local time.
The president and first lady, dressed in traditional clothing, were welcomed by local customary elders.
General Chairman of LAM Riau Datuk Al Azhar had earlier noted that bestowing customary titles on President Jokowi was through a mutual agreement and deliberation as a mark of gratitude from the people of Riau.
"Giving a thank you, a gift, thanks from the people of Riau by bestowing the title of Datuk Seri Setia Negara on President Joko Widodo," Azhar remarked.
Azhar elaborated that the title of Datuk Seri Setia Negara meant that President Jokowi is a state official, who has outshone to uphold the country`s mandate.
Chairperson of the LAM Riau Daily Leadership Council Datuk Seri Syahril Abubakar stated that the basis for granting customary titles on Jokowi was due to his policy of providing positive benefits to Riau`s indigenous people.
"For more than 17 years, Riau has always been engulfed by smoke. The president then applied the policy after which Riau Province was no longer covered in smoke. Alhamdulillah, there has been no smoke for the past three years," Abubakar remarked.
He then spoke of other policies related to the Rokan Block, which had returned to Indonesia after being managed by Pertamina along with the Regional Government of Riau Province.
Abubakar noted that the awarding of this title was also in line with Presidential Decree No. 86 of 2018 on the Land of Object of Agrarian Reform.
"In Riau, shared land is recognized and at the same time can be certified. This has been a lengthy struggle for the indigenous people of Riau for almost 20 years that we have been fighting for and the president has returned to us, to the indigenous people, and at the same time giving status to the ulayat land," he remarked.
Abubakar also remarked that Presidential Instruction No. 8 of 2018 on the rearrangement of Palm Oil Plantations also had a positive impact on the people of Riau.
"In Riau, there are nearly three million hectares of palm oil plantations, so it can be said that the Riau community does not have maximum land. If this is reorganized through this policy, thank God, two million hectares can then be managed by the Riau indigenous people," he noted.
Abubakar also remarked that the CPP Block, earlier managed by Pertamina along with the Regional Company for the last 15 years, was currently outlined to be handled by the Regional Government.
"This is our basis, in addition to toll roads and others, which makes us want to express our appreciation and gratitude to the government, which happened to be of President Mr. Joko Widodo," he added.
Reporting by Agus Salim
Editing by Eliswan, Suharto
Reporter: antara
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
