Meranti Archipelago Regency
Old Town Rejuvenated

More than six years ago, Selat Panjang in Meranti District was a silent city. Its grandeur, told in stories by the elders, was a thing of the past. Only old, two-story buildings with drab-colored walls remained. Some of the paint was chipped, covered by moss that turned into crust during the dry season. Everything came to a standstill as evening fell. There was no electricity, just darkness.

Irwan Nasir, who had just returned from Batam and Pekanbaru, looked sadly at his homeland. Nobody dared to come to this city. The streets were badly damaged. Transportation access was extremely difficult. Residents lived without hope because the streets were controlled by thugs and ex-convicts. "Poverty rate is high because of unemployment," said Irwan, the Meranti Islands regent who was reelected for a second term in December last year.

May 10, 2016