Minister Yandri Applauds MHU’s Efforts to Empower Two Villages in East Kalimantan

Kutai Kartanegara – As part of the village economic acceleration program, the Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration, Yandri Susanto, paid a working visit to two villages in East Kalimantan, Kutai Kartanegara Regency, namely Lung Anai Village and Sungai Payang Village, on Saturday (December 7). These two villages are strategic partners of Multi Harapan Utama (MHU), a subsidiary of MMS Group Indonesia (MMSGI) in implementing Environment, Social, Governance (ESG) which develops sustainable economic empowerment around its operational areas.

A Visit to Lung Anai Village: Promoting a Cocoa-Based Economy

During his working visit to Loa Kulu District, Yandri Susanto visited Lung Anai Village, known as a center for cocoa development. The visit began with cocoa tree planting activities on a two-hectare parent plantation in Lung Anai Village. This plantation is designed as a training and coaching center for local cocoa farmers, as well as being the main source of raw materials for the village's chocolate products. Here, he witnessed firsthand the processing of raw cocoa into halal-certified chocolate bars and packaging. These superior products from Rumah Cokelat are expected to improve the economy of the Lung Anai Village community, the majority of whom are Dayak.

This working visit not only demonstrated the potential of Lung Anai Village as a cocoa center, but also emphasized the importance of collaboration between the government, the community, and the private sector, such as MHU, in creating an independent and sustainable village economy.

"This is truly extraordinary. I really appreciate how the Lung Anai BUMDes has stimulated the economy. I see many employees, and the farmers will definitely benefit. Then, people will become more familiar with Lung Anai Village. The bottom line is, if there are opportunities in the village, please maximize them," said Yandri.

On the occasion, Minister Yandri also presented a production permit certificate from the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) to the managers of Rumah Cokelat, an achievement that opens up opportunities for village products to compete in a wider market.

Inauguration of the Sungai Payang Village Government Office Building: A Center for Village Economic Development

Afterward, Yandri departed for Sungai Payang Village, not far from Lung Anai Village. There, Minister Yandri inaugurated the Sungai Payang Village Office, witnessed by MHU President Director Margareta, MHU Head of Mining Engineering (KTT) Aris Subagyo, and MHU General Manager of Mining Support Wijayono Sarosa. The office is expected to become a hub for social and economic activities that will improve the living standards of the surrounding community.

Sungai Payang BUMDes has shown significant achievements, increasing turnover from IDR 4.6 billion in 2019 to IDR 27.6 billion in 2023, with a value of Social Return on Investment (SROI) 4.27. In Sungai Payang Village, the program includes catering, road repairs from Kuntab Hamlet to Kelesan (4 km), clean water innovation through the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and Hydram Pump from void post-mining and construction of the village office building. Referring to Good Mining Practice (GMP), this initiative supports SDG 6 and SDG 8, and has won national awards thanks to the support of the Ministry of Villages and the community.

Yandri also praised the successful collaboration in managing the village through a partnership with the company, which has become a model for other villages in Indonesia.

"I'm very proud of the village office, which is magnificent, sturdy, and beautiful. Why is that possible? Because of the collaboration between the village and a third party, namely the company PT Multi Harapan Utama. We appreciate this extraordinary collaboration, including the BUMDes being able to absorb a workforce of more than 240 people. The BUMDes is the best. So Sungai Payang will definitely be a good story for me, a village that we can be proud of to other villages, because of the 75,000 villages in Indonesia, not many are as advanced or as great as Sungai Payang," said Yandri.

Commitment to Empowerment and Sustainability

Meanwhile, MHU President Director Margareta stated, "A company's success is not only measured by its operations, but by the positive impact it has on the surrounding community. We are proud to support BUMDes that contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as Zero Hunger Villages (SDG 2), Quality Education (SDG 4), Clean Water (SDG 6), and Village Economic Growth (SDG 8)."

This visit demonstrated how the synergy between the government, private sector, and communities is creating sustainable economic transformation. Lung Anai and Sungai Payang villages have become successful models of cross-sector collaboration, with the potential to be replicated in other areas to build independent and prosperous villages.

MHU's strong commitment makes this visit not only an opportunity to review results in the field, but also strengthens the company's strategic role in supporting government programs for village welfare.