Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), attended a Halalbihalal gathe...
Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), attended a Halalbihalal gathering with the South Tapanuli (Tabagsel) community in Greater Jakarta, where he pledged to boost development in the region, which has long lagged behind compared to its surrounding areas.
The event, held at the Manggala Wanabakti Building, Ministry of Forestry in Jakarta, was attended by thousands of Tabagsel residents living in Jabodetabek, as well as national and regional figures. Several regional heads even traveled directly from Tabagsel to participate.
Chairman of the event committee, Ongku Parmonangan Hasibuan, emphasized the importance of this gathering as a momentum to strengthen unity and synergy among Tabagsel communities in Jabodetabek. He believes that such unity is key to speeding up the development of their hometown.
“In front of us, we have many Tabagsel figures from both the executive and legislative sectors. We must capitalize on this presence to establish synergy and a collective movement that drives progress in our region,” Ongku said during his remarks.
He also highlighted that Tabagsel remains far behind not only from North and East Tapanuli but also from neighboring provinces like Riau Islands and West Sumatra in terms of development.
“We are treated like a remote region in the far south of North Sumatra. Hopefully, this event triggers a multiplier effect, sparking collaboration between local governments in creating a comprehensive development plan that avoids sectoral egos,” Ongku added.
He pointed out that the community network, consisting of around 150 associations from Tabagsel, holds great potential to contribute to regional development. However, so far, many of these associations have been working independently.
As a former Regent of South Tapanuli, Ongku hopes this event serves not just as a social gathering but also as a catalyst for stronger ties among Tabagsel people, especially among influential figures.
Mulia P. Nasution, Chair of the Tabagsel Inter-Community Communication Forum, agreed that collaboration is crucial to prevent further marginalization of the region. He expressed concerns over the lack of major development projects or private investments in Tabagsel over the past decade.
“There has been almost no notable development, whether funded by the state budget or private investments that could have spurred economic growth and improved local livelihoods,” he noted.
Mulia, a former Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance, urged follow-up meetings involving Tabagsel figures from both public and private sectors to formulate concrete strategies for development.
He also emphasized the role of local associations, whether based on family lineage, geographic origin, schools, and more. These associations, despite their varying sizes, are vital components in building networks and promoting development in their ancestral homeland.
“The big clans like Siregar, Harahap, Nasution, and Lubis have thousands of members. But there are also smaller groups with only a few members. Regardless, all of them contribute to fostering solidarity and pushing for progress in our region,” he concluded.
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