HISTORY KEMENTRANS

The Ministry of Transmigration was formed based on Presidential Regulation Number 172 of 2024 concerning the Ministry of Transmigration. Previously, transmigration was part of the Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration which had the task of organizing government affairs in the fields of village and rural development, empowerment of village communities, acceleration of development of disadvantaged regions, and transmigration.

The organization of transmigration in Indonesia has existed since the Dutch colonial era, namely in 1905. At that time, in addition to reducing population density on Java Island, the main target was to meet labor needs outside Java Island. This program is a mobility or population movement that is not only carried out by one person, but can also be a family, even a village.

Based on historical data, transmigration in Indonesia originated from a migration program or better known as kolonisatie proof, which when translated means colonization.

This program of the Dutch East Indies colonial government covered the welfare policies of the poor in Java to overcome the danger of famine. The Dutch East Indies colonial government first moved 155 farming families from Kedu to a newly established village near Gedong Tataan, south of Way Sekampung in South Lampun. This village later became the first location of the colonization program for Javanese farmers in areas outside Java.

Through this colonization program, the Dutch East Indies colonial government moved laborers on Java Island to plantations and other remote areas on Sumatra Island. This program was considered a solution to the increasing poverty experienced by the population of Java Island due to forced labor. In the colonization experiment period of 1905-1911, the population that was successfully moved was around 4,800 people. It was also mentioned that between 1905-1929 the number of Javanese who were moved outside Java had reached 24,300 people. This refers to the Dutch East Indies colonial government's program of reopening expeditions for new, larger colonization settlements in 1922. If calculated based on the number of people who departed between 1905-1911 of 4,800 people, it means that between 1911-1929 the Dutch East Indies colonial government had moved the population through the colonization program of around 19,500 people.

During the Japanese occupation, transmigration changed its name to Kokuminggakari. However, this program was a little different, those who were moved were not families, but only individuals. Initially voluntary turned into coercion. The aim was to be employed in order to provide food and increase the strength of the Japanese military. The implementation of kokuminggakari was only once, in 1943, which moved 31,700 people from Java to an area such as Lampung, which at that time was named Toyosawa. The location is now Purbolinggo District in the Central Lampung region.

Although it had existed during the Dutch East Indies colonial period, the term transmigration began to be applied since 1950, namely in the era of the Old Order government. In the State Policy Guidelines (GBHN), it is stated that population transfer or transmigration aims to spread the population and labor force as well as opening and developing production and agricultural areas in regional development.

The departure of transmigrants in the Old Order era was first carried out after independence, namely in December 1950 with the aim of a transmigration location in Lampung. Between 1950-1959 the government had moved 22,360 transmigrants. In this era, the population of Java Island who participated in the transmigration program was quite high. In fact, some of them were willing to leave for transmigration destinations at their own expense without government assistance. At the destination location, they simply reported to obtain a plot of land and other material buildings.

During the New Order era, the transmigration policy was contained in the Five-Year Development program (Pelita), namely in Pelita I the transmigration policy was associated with rural and agricultural development efforts. Pelita II, prospective transmigrants were developed not only farmers but veterans also had the opportunity through the Bureau of National Reconstruction (BRN) program. Pelita III, the orientation of transmigration is the distribution of population and building new communities to assist the development of the area of origin and the transmigration area. In the 2nd Repelita period between 1974-1979, the government was able to dispatch 204,000 transmigrants. The 3rd Repelita (1979-1983) was more than 500,000 families. In the 4th Repelita, at the end of October 1985, 350,606 families or 1,163,771 people had successfully departed. During the New Order period, the transmigration program finally gave birth to Law Number 15 of 1997 concerning Transmigration, which was later amended through Law Number 29 of 2009 concerning Amendments to Law Number 15 of 1997 concerning Transmigration.

During the Reformation period, the transmigration program was still included in the development plan in the era of regional autonomy. However, the implementation of transmigration is faced with challenges related to changes in governance. The implementation of transmigration, which previously tended to be centralized, faced challenges in the form of applying the principles of decentralization and autonomy. The implementation of regional autonomy in addition to causing a shift in authority in the implementation of transmigration, also requires the implementation of transmigration to be fully adapted to the characteristics and specific conditions of the region.

Since the reform era until now, transmigration has experienced many important changes. One of the most visible is that the transmigration sub-sector is no longer included in the labor and transmigration sector, but in the regional development and transmigration sector. Its weight is no longer focused on the distribution of labor, but rather supports regional development. In practice, the transmigration program is a process of regional development through the construction of new villages.

The implementation of transmigration has indeed changed its meaning from one period to the next based on the situation and conditions of the times, the developing socio-political situation and the need for transmigration programs at each time. Without ignoring all the problems that exist, the implementation of transmigration so far has made a significant contribution to national development and regional development.

In line with Law Number 15 of 1997 concerning transmigration mandates that the objectives of implementing transmigration are (1) improving the welfare of transmigrants and surrounding communities, (2) increasing and equalizing regional development, and (3) strengthening national unity and integrity. In improving the welfare of transmigrants and surrounding communities, transmigration has contributed to efforts to meet domestic food needs sourced from the agricultural and plantation sectors such as rice which produces 3.3 million hectares, corn 310 hectares, palm oil 1.14 million hectares. While the achievements of transmigration that encourage the industrialization of processing of agricultural and plantation products include 22 palm oil factories, 1 rubber powder factory, and 4 cocoa factories.

During the 2020-2024 period, transmigration areas have developed positively in advancing infrastructure and the economy in the regions. The achievement of the development status of transmigration areas in 52 national priority areas shows a number of 7 competitive areas, 33 independent areas, and 12 developing areas. In competitive transmigration areas, there are regional superior products that can not only meet their own needs, but also the superior products of the area have been marketed. In areas with independent status, minimum service standards have been met and regional superior products can meet their own needs. Whereas in areas with developing status, the fulfillment of minimum service standards and superior products has begun to be developed.

Another achievement of transmigration in improving and equalizing regional development can be seen with the birth of 3 provincial capitals, namely Mamuju City as the capital of West Sulawesi Province, Tanjung Selor as the capital of North Kalimantan Province, and Merauke as the capital of South Papua Province. In addition to the provincial capital, transmigration has also given birth to 116 regency capitals, 466 sub-district capitals, and 1,567 definitive villages. The success of transmigration in the formation of this new government also encouraged the birth of new growth centers as Presidential Instruction No. 9 of 2018 concerning the Acceleration of the Development of Tanjung Selor New Independent City (KTM) and regional economic development such as the formation of 10,688 Poktan, 566 cooperative units, 495 markets, 784 BUMDes units, and 50 CPO production center areas.

In the context of development, the transmigration program also helps develop remote villages and disadvantaged, outermost, and frontier (3T) areas. Transmigration areas as part of the national program also consistently develop using an inclusive economic approach through cooperation with the private sector in distributing their respective regional superior products. This is an effort to accelerate the development of regions outside Java Island that have the potential to become a driving force for regional development to increase regional competitiveness which is still low.

From the aspect of structuring population distribution, transmigration has succeeded in increasing community unity and increasing inter-ethnic and inter-regional integration through the achievements of the transmigration program which has placed a total of 2,007,744 family heads or 7,280,003 people until 2023 spread across various regions.

All the success achievements and contributions of transmigration are in line with the vision of the President and Vice President which is realized by 8 missions or called Asta Cita, namely in the 2nd Mission to strengthen the national security defense system and encourage national independence through self-sufficiency in food, energy, water, creative economy, green economy, and blue economy, and the 6th Mission, namely building from villages and from below for economic equity and poverty eradication.