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| East Java and West Kalimantan Strengthen Ties as Pagar Jati Leadership Gets Officially Installed for 2025–2030. |
Big news from West Kalimantan, folks! On Friday night, July 11, 2025, the Governor of West Kalimantan, Drs. H. Ria Norsan, officially inaugurated the new board of Pagar Jati — short for Paguyuban Arek Jawa Timur (a community of East Javanese people) — for the 2025 to 2030 period. The ceremony took place at the iconic Istana Rakyat, also known as the Kalbar Pavilion.
This wasn’t just another formal event. The vibe was strong with culture, unity, and support from major public figures. Among the attendees were East Java’s Vice Governor Emil Dardak with his wife Arumi Bachsin, West Kalimantan’s Vice Governor Krisantus Kurniawan, the Provincial Secretary dr. Harisson and his wife, Pontianak Mayor Edi Rusdi Kamtono, and many other officials and community leaders from diverse backgrounds.
The spotlight was on Machrus Effendy, who officially took the role of Chairman of Pagar Jati Kalbar. Governor Norsan used the moment to encourage collaboration between the East Javanese community and local government.
“We hope the newly appointed Pagar Jati team will contribute to the development of West Kalimantan and work hand-in-hand with the provincial government,” said the governor.
Building Bridges Between Two Powerhouse Provinces
Governor Norsan also highlighted how important it is to build mutual cooperation between East Java and West Kalimantan, especially in areas like trade and resource sharing.
“East Java has a surplus of rice, so we can bring some here. Meanwhile, if they’re short on cooking oil, we can ship over our CPO (crude palm oil) for them to process,” he explained.
Emil Dardak All-In for More East Java–West Kalimantan Collaboration
Vice Governor Emil Dardak totally vibed with the idea. He mentioned that East Java and Kalbar have tons of potential if they team up — and he’s planning to take this partnership to the next level with an official visit.
“This isn’t just about ceremony. East Java has 42 million people — a huge market — while Kalimantan Barat is one and a half times the size of Java but with only 5.5 million people. That’s a lot of space and resources to work with,” he pointed out.
He also emphasized Kalbar’s strategic location. It’s right along the route from Singapore to the Pacific Ocean, making it perfect for international shipping. That’s why a deep-sea port and smelter projects are already in development there.
Kalbar’s Game-Changing Natural Resources
Emil didn’t stop there. He gave a shoutout to Kalbar’s rich natural resources, especially bauxite — which is a big deal in Indonesia’s industrial game plan.
“There are over 20 key commodities being prioritized for downstream processing — not just nickel, but bauxite too. President Jokowi himself mentioned Kalbar as a major focus,” Emil added.
The goal? Turn bauxite into alumina right in Kalbar to create added value, rather than just shipping raw materials to other regions like East Java. That way, Kalbar becomes a powerhouse in its own right.
“This is the new direction — no more sending raw goods straight to Java. We want to keep the value here in Kalbar and let East Java handle the next stage of processing. That’s what we mean by Indonesia-centric development, not Java-centric,” he said.
A New Chapter for Pagar Jati and Inter-Regional Unity
Wrapping it up, Emil shared his excitement for what’s ahead. With Pagar Jati acting as a bridge between East Java and Kalimantan Barat, he’s hopeful this partnership will spark even more projects and friendships.
“The opportunities are huge here in Kalbar — not just for trade, but for cultural connection and shared growth. Pagar Jati can play a key role in keeping that spirit alive,” he concluded.