Hendry Munief, a member of the Special Committee (Pansus) of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) overseeing the Draft Law on Archipelagic Regions, emphasized the need to protect the living spaces of coastal communities during discussions on the bill, including protection from island privatization and the threat of coastal erosion.

“Island privatization and coastal erosion must be addressed in the Draft Law on Archipelagic Regions. We must not allow communities that have lived in and depended on coastal areas for generations to lose their living spaces,” Hendry said during a working meeting between the Special Committee and the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM), the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan), and the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) at the DPR RI. He was quoted as saying this on Friday, September 18, 2026.

He noted that coastal erosion is not only occurring in Indonesia’s eastern archipelagic regions, but also in several coastal areas of Riau, including Bengkalis, Siak, Dumai, Rokan Hilir, and the Meranti Islands.

“Therefore, this issue needs to be taken into consideration in the formulation of policies for archipelagic regions,” he said.

Hendry also stressed that the Draft Law on Archipelagic Regions should not merely regulate governmental authority and development financing. It must also address the concerns of communities living on small islands, including the protection of their living spaces and environmental sustainability.

“We must not grant authority to manage marine resources while failing to protect the communities that depend on them,” he concluded.