Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Transmigration Viva Yoga Mauladi commended the efforts of the Indonesian Transmigrant Children’s Association (PATRI) for contributing to the significant progress of its members, their communities, and the nation.

“Transmigrants' children are now achieving remarkable things. Some have become professors, PhDs, and even joined institutions like STPDN (Institute of Public Administration) and the Military Academy (Akmil),” Viva stated in an official release in Jakarta on Thursday.

He noted that numerous achievements by transmigrants' children indicate that the education they receive in rural areas is comparable to that in urban centers.

Although the government has allocated land to transmigrants, he remarked that some have faced land disputes with other parties.

“Many transmigrants report land issues to this organization,” Viva stated.

He highlighted PATRI's commitment to advocating for their rights by reaching out to the State Secretariat and the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN).

Furthermore, he emphasized that transmigrants in rural areas are not only farmers, laborers, industrial crop growers, and fishers but are also actively involved in developing human resources.

“In Barito Kuala, they established an English village in collaboration with the Islamic University of Kalimantan. In Riau, they established Islamic boarding schools,” Viva remarked.

According to Viva, these examples are just a few of PATRI’s contributions towards human resource development.

Viva expressed optimism that transmigrant areas, once isolated and distant from economic centers, would eventually become new growth hubs or serve as supporting regions for existing cities.

"This optimism stems from PATRI’s efforts to promote economic institutions," he stated.

These economic institutions include cooperative institutions, Microfinance Institutions (LKMs), and Baitul Maal wa Tamwil (BMT).

“In Riau, PATRI established a cooperative that now produces animal feed, while PATRI in South Kalimantan produces palm sugar,” Viva revealed.

He further noted that PATRI in South Sumatra, through the Banyuasin Integrated Self-Sufficient City (KTM), produces batik, while PATRI in West Sumatra, through the Lunang Silaut KTM, crafts traditional batik dye.

He explained that PATRI’s initiatives are adapted to the surrounding natural and environmental conditions, and the modern urban atmosphere in Jakarta has prompted PATRI Jakarta to establish the Patri Digital Prosperity Cooperative (Kopadira).

He encouraged PATRI, which operates from the provincial to district and city levels across Indonesia, to continue its efforts, especially under President Prabowo Subianto’s administration, as transmigration has regained attention with the establishment of a dedicated ministry.

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Translator: Primayanti
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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