BANGKA -- PT TIMAH (Persero) Tbk continues to strengthen its commitment to implementing Community Development and Empowerment Programs (PPM) through discussions on updating the Community Development and Empowerment Master Plan (RIPPM) on Bangka Island, Bangka Belitung Islands Province.
Focus Group Discussions (FGD) on the RIPPM update were held in Bangka Regency, Central Bangka, West Bangka, and South Bangka from May 4–8, 2026.
The RIPPM update discussions will also be carried out on Belitung Island as well as in the Riau Islands Province and Riau Province, which are part of the company’s operational areas.
The activities involved various stakeholders, including regional governments, district heads, village heads, academics, community leaders, and community representatives.
In the RIPPM update discussions, there were three main focuses of attention. First, gathering aspirations and local ideas directly from the community and regional governments.
Second, openly presenting the achievements of previous RIPPM programs. Third, formulating more effective collaboration patterns between the company, regency governments, and the community in addressing various regional development challenges.
Through constructive and open discussions, PT TIMAH hopes that the programs developed will not only be sustainable but will also provide tangible impacts on improving community welfare.
The activity serves as a strategic step for the company to gather public aspirations while mapping priority needs that will become the focus of PT TIMAH’s PPM programs over the next five years.
The updated RIPPM of PT TIMAH focuses on six main pillars of community development: education, health, increasing real community income, economic independence, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure development.
The RIPPM discussions received positive responses from regional governments, as expressed by Acting Regional Secretary of West Bangka Regency Abimanyu, who appreciated PT TIMAH’s initiative in once again involving local governments and communities in the process of updating the RIPPM document.
“Thank you to PT TIMAH for organizing this public consultation. This is a form of collaboration between the company, the regency government, districts, and villages, considering that PT TIMAH’s operational activities are also located in West Bangka,” he said.
According to Abimanyu, the preparation of RIPPM is important because it will serve as the foundation for long-term community empowerment programs. Therefore, he believes input from various parties is essential to ensure the programs truly address community needs.
“Through this forum, we can discuss priority programs needed by the community, whether in livestock, agriculture, MSMEs, or other sectors. We hope the programs formulated will be sustainable and provide real benefits to the people of West Bangka,” he said.
Similarly, South Bangka Regency Secretary Hefi Nuranda expressed hope that future program implementation would directly address community needs, especially in areas affected by mining activities, so that the company’s presence could provide balanced social and economic benefits for local communities.
“We hope this FGD activity is not merely ceremonial, but truly delivers positive impacts for the people of South Bangka, encourages community independence, improves living standards, and provides benefits that are directly felt by the community,” Hefi said.
Central Bangka Regional Secretary Ahmad Syarifullah Nizam, through Economic and Financial Expert Staff Tamimi, expressed full support for the preparation of the RIPPM, considering it a strategic document for strengthening collaboration between the government and the company.
“The Central Bangka Government fully supports the preparation of this RIPPM. We are ready to work in synergy and collaborate to produce a realistic document that truly benefits the community,” Tamimi said.
Bangka Regency Secretary Thony Marza considered the forum a positive step in aligning the company’s programs with regional development needs.
“Many of PT TIMAH’s CSR and PPM programs have already benefited the people of Bangka Regency, ranging from education through scholarships, community economic development, to support for community organizations. Forums like this are important so that in the future these programs can become more focused and integrated into annual development planning,” Thony said. (*)
