President’s directive sparks major urban beautification push in Batam
Batam has moved swiftly to revamp its cityscape after receiving direct instructions from President Prabowo Subianto to eliminate cluttered billboards and messy overhead cables that disrupt urban aesthetics.
Presidential Directive On City Order
Vice Mayor of Batam and Deputy Head of BP Batam, Li Claudia Candra, revealed that the city government has acted on President Prabowo Subianto’s directive to improve urban order. The instruction was delivered during a regional leaders’ retreat in Magelang.
According to Li Claudia, the President emphasized that local governments must pay close attention to the visual appearance of their cities, particularly by removing disorderly billboards and unregulated cables.
Immediate Crackdown On Billboards
Upon returning to Batam, the city administration began enforcing billboard removals. Li Claudia stated that Batam has taken decisive steps to clear advertisements deemed visually disruptive.
She claimed Batam is currently the only regency or city that has thoroughly organized and removed messy billboards from its area. The cleanup is part of a broader commitment to creating a neater and more visually appealing urban environment.
Tackling Cable Clutter
Beyond billboards, the city is also addressing overhead cables that have long been criticized for affecting the city’s appearance. Disorganized wiring has been a common issue in rapidly developing urban centers.
The initiative seeks to ensure that infrastructure improvements align with Batam’s ambition to position itself as a modern and well-organized city.
Gema Asri Movement Gains Momentum
The urban beautification effort is closely linked to the Gema Asri program, a city-wide movement promoting cleanliness and order. Launched during an event at K-Square in Batam Center on Feb 11, the program goes beyond waste management.
Gema Asri covers comprehensive city planning efforts, including public space maintenance and infrastructure tidiness, reinforcing a shared responsibility among residents and authorities.
Building A Modern City Image
Li Claudia stressed that the cleanup campaign is not merely about aesthetics. It is part of a strategic effort to strengthen Batam’s image as a clean, organized, and investment-friendly city.
“We want Batam to be better, cleaner, and more comfortable,” she said, underscoring that urban order requires collective attention and sustained action.
Long-Term Urban Transformation
Batam’s rapid development has brought both economic growth and urban challenges. The billboard and cable crackdown signals a shift toward more disciplined city management.
By aligning local policies with national directives, the administration aims to create a cityscape that reflects Batam’s growing role as a regional economic hub.
Batam’s swift response to the President’s call for cleaner urban spaces highlights a broader push toward disciplined city planning in Indonesia. As infrastructure expands and competition among regional hubs intensifies, maintaining an orderly and attractive cityscape becomes increasingly critical. For Indonesians and Singaporeans observing Batam’s transformation, the initiative signals a renewed focus on modern urban governance and regional competitiveness.
Sources: Batampos (2026) , Jawa Pos (2026)
Keywords: Gema Asri, Prabowo Subianto, Billboard Crackdown, Batam Center, City Aesthetics
