Batam – The Riau Islands Provincial Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin Kepri) held its 2026 Provincial Leadership Meeting (Rapimprov) at Harris Hotel Batam Center on Thursday (September 24, 2026).

The forum served as a platform for organizational consolidation and the formulation of strategic business programs to drive economic growth in the Riau Islands.

The 2026 Rapimprov of Kadin Riau Islands was held simultaneously with 38 other provinces across Indonesia through an online meeting. The event was also held as part of the thanksgiving celebration marking the 58th anniversary of Kadin Indonesia.

Chairman of Kadin Riau Islands Mustava said the Rapimprov is an annual organizational agenda. This year, its implementation also forms part of efforts to improve Kadin Indonesia’s organizational system through digitalization.

All participant administration processes, from attendance to Rapimprov materials, were verified through Kadin Indonesia’s digital system.

“Every official who attends is verified digitally. The materials and the theme are also uploaded to Kadin Indonesia’s system,” Mustava said.

Mustava said three main focuses were discussed at the 2026 Kadin Riau Islands Rapimprov. The first was strengthening internal solidarity through the formulation of work programs based on the needs of the business community.

He said each deputy chairman and division must formulate programs according to their respective areas of responsibility, which would then be implemented collectively.

“We, as the management, must remain solid. My leadership approach is bottom-up. Each deputy chairman and division will formulate programs to be presented and implemented together,” he said.

The second focus was driving economic growth in the Riau Islands. Kadin Riau Islands will align its business programs with the national economic growth target of 8 percent.

Mustava noted that the Riau Islands economy grew by 7.48 percent in 2025. With this achievement, there remains a 0.52 percentage-point gap to the 8 percent target set by the central government.

“Kadin Riau Islands is targeting the same goal as the central government, namely 8 percent economic growth. Alhamdulillah, the Riau Islands economy grew by 7.48 percent last year. So, if the central government’s target is 8 percent, we only have 0.52 percentage points to go,” he said.

To pursue the target, Kadin will promote programs that directly support business activities, including strengthening micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“Kadin Riau Islands, with 33 deputy chairmen who are all experts and practitioners in their respective fields, will support the work programs that emerge from this Rapimprov. In particular, we will support MSME growth,” he said.

Mustava also highlighted the Riau Islands’ strategic geographical position, which is close to Singapore and Malaysia. He said this creates opportunities for the development of various sectors, particularly tourism, culinary businesses, and services.

According to him, Batam’s proximity to Singapore and Johor can be leveraged to attract more tourists and consumers from both areas.

Johor’s population, for example, represents a potential market for Batam’s tourism and culinary sectors.

“Johor has a population of 4.7 million people. They enjoy traveling and spending time in Batam because there are many halal restaurants here,” he said.

Kadin Riau Islands will also strengthen its relationship with regional governments. Mustava said business organizations must serve as strategic partners to the government in addressing various issues related to economic and investment activities.

“Third, we will strengthen and unify the performance of the relationship between Kadin and the government. Kadin’s activities now always involve coordination with the government,” he said.

Mustava stressed that the Rapimprov should not stop at being an administrative organizational agenda. Every work program must have clear targets, responsible persons, implementation schedules, and performance indicators.

“Our measure of success is how much benefit can be felt by the business community and society,” he said.

Among the indicators that Kadin will prioritize are ease of investment, MSME capacity building, job creation, trade expansion, and the ability of Riau Islands products to enter national and international markets.

“Potential alone is not enough. Potential must be transformed into opportunities. Investment must be transformed into economic activity, and economic activity must create jobs and improve people’s welfare,” he stressed.

Kadin Riau Islands’ work programs will also cover investment advocacy and facilitation, MSME development, human resource development, trade and industry, and downstream processing.

In addition, the agenda will cover the digital economy, green economy, maritime affairs, tourism, connectivity, and logistics.

To implement these programs, Kadin Riau Islands will strengthen collaboration with the government, Kadin Indonesia, universities, financial institutions, state-owned and regionally owned enterprises, business associations, investors, and international partners.

“We cannot work alone. Kadin needs the government, and the government needs the business community. The business community needs banks and financing institutions,” he said.

Mustava called on Kadin Riau Islands’ management to move away from fragmented ways of working. Every program should be regularly monitored and evaluated.

“One program, one target, one person in charge, and one measure of success,” he said.

The 2026 Kadin Riau Islands Rapimprov is expected to produce three main outcomes: organizational consolidation, concrete and measurable work programs, and business recommendations to be submitted to the government and Kadin Indonesia.

Mustava also urged that the programs formulated should not merely repeat previous agendas.

“Work programs should not only look good on paper but must actually be implemented. I hope that our work programs will no longer be copy-and-paste. Even if it is just one work program, as long as it is implemented, that would already be something to be very proud of,” he said.

“A position in Kadin is not a symbol; it is a responsibility,” he said.

The 2026 Kadin Riau Islands Rapimprov carries the theme “From Trust to Action: Strengthening Kadin’s Strategic Role in Driving an Inclusive, Competitive, and Globally Oriented Riau Islands Economy.”