Banda Aceh – detikperistiwa.co.id
Chairman of Relawan Peduli Rakyat Lintas Batas Highlights the Importance of Stability and Lessons from Vietnam
Concerns over Aceh’s investment climate have resurfaced. The Chairman of Relawan Peduli Rakyat Lintas Batas, Arizal Mahdi, voiced the growing unease felt by many community leaders following rising tensions between certain groups of residents and local companies, particularly within the plantation sector.
In recent years, several districts and municipalities across Aceh have been marked by road blockades, disturbances, and unilateral actions carried out by a handful of individuals seeking to pressure companies. The consequences are far from trivial. Hundreds of workers whose livelihoods depend on palm oil plantations have lost their income. Small farmers can no longer work normally, and local village economies have ground to a halt.
According to Arizal, if such situations continue to occur, not only will new investors be reluctant to enter Aceh, but existing domestic investors may also choose to leave the province in search of safer business environments. He emphasised that when the business climate is perceived as hostile and unpredictable, it is ordinary people—those who rely on daily wages—who suffer the most.
He stressed that plantation labourers, drivers, small farmers, and field workers are the first to feel the impact. These individuals do not seek conflict; they simply want to work and earn a decent living for their families.
Arizal urged Aceh to draw lessons from Vietnam, a country that, over the past two decades, has transformed into one of Asia’s most attractive investment destinations. Vietnam’s success did not materialise overnight, but was built through long-term strategy, consistency, and a strong focus on investment facilitation.
The Vietnamese government streamlined business procedures, accelerated licensing processes, and expanded digital services to eliminate obstructive bureaucracy. A range of tax incentives was provided to high-tech industries, export-oriented sectors, and developing regions. They established special economic zones with well-planned infrastructure, reliable electricity supplies, and efficient administrative services.
Vietnam also prioritised attracting high-tech investments, including semiconductors, AI, batteries, and green energy. The country strengthened trade cooperation through various international agreements, enabling greater market access. At the same time, it invested heavily in improving human capital to ensure compatibility with advanced industries.
Moreover, Vietnam maintained policy stability, strengthened investor protection, and fostered healthy competition among provinces to attract investment. Local governments competed in building infrastructure, providing land facilities, and improving public services to ensure that companies felt secure and valued.
Arizal believes this approach is highly relevant for Aceh. Building investor confidence is not solely the responsibility of the provincial government; it also requires commitment from district governments, village administrators, and law enforcement agencies. He called for closer cooperation between local authorities and security forces to ensure investor safety and to protect business activities from threats, intimidation, or unilateral actions.
Supporting investors, he added, does not mean siding with corporations—it means safeguarding the livelihood of ordinary people who depend on economic activity to survive. Any disruption to companies ultimately hurts the communities who work within them.
As a humanitarian activist who frequently engages directly with communities, Arizal has seen first-hand how plantation workers and their families rely entirely on the stability of the companies that employ them. Whenever road blockades or disturbances occur, their income disappears almost instantly.
He expressed hope that Aceh can become a region that welcomes investment and guarantees worker safety. Aceh, he said, possesses vast potential comparable to Vietnam: abundant natural resources, a bright younger generation, and tremendous opportunities in the agricultural and agro-industrial sectors. However, such potential will remain dormant without assured stability.
Arizal concluded his statement with a firm reminder. If Aceh wishes to progress, it must maintain calm, work together to safeguard investment, and ensure that ordinary citizens do not become victims of the actions of a few irresponsible individuals. Progress, he warned, does not emerge from conflict, but from cooperation and a shared sense of security.
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