InfoSAWIT, PELALAWAN - Dozens of youths and residents of Tanjung Kuyo Village, Pangkalan Lesung District, Pelalawan Regency, took to the streets on Monday (March 17, 2025). They staged a protest in front of the headquarters of PT Sari Lembah Subur (SLS), a subsidiary of PT Astra Agro Lestari Tbk. Their demands were clear: improvements to infrastructure that have long been neglected due to the company's activities.

Since morning, the crowd gathered at Simpang Wahid before marching to the company's office. In his speech, Endri Lafran Pane, one of the representatives of the residents, lamented the lack of concern from PT SLS regarding the severely damaged road connecting Simpang Wahid and Tanjung Kuyo. “This road is the lifeblood of the economy for the residents of Tanjung Kuyo, Makteduh, and Pangkalan Tampoi. But the company operating nearby seems to turn a blind eye,” he shouted in an amateur video received by InfoSAWIT on Monday (March 17, 2025).

Not only the road, but in the protest permit submitted to the Pelalawan Police Chief, residents also demanded that PT SLS immediately clean the Genduang River, which is blocked for 3.5 kilometers. The river, filled with weeds, causes flooding in the plasma plantations (KKPA) owned by residents. Additionally, they requested the company to remove the excavated soil from the ditches that obstruct access roads and questioned the alleged illegal mining activities.

However, the peaceful protest turned tense after an hour of oration, as no company representatives came to meet the crowd. The situation escalated until the company’s office gate was breached, and the crowd surged into the front yard.

Despite the high tension during the protest, police and company security remained on guard to keep the situation under control. As of this report, the demonstration was still ongoing, and PT SLS had not provided an official response to the residents' demands.

For the people of Tanjung Kuyo, this protest is not just a complaint but a call for justice. They hope the company will take responsibility for the environmental and social impacts they have endured for years. Now, the ball is in PT SLS's court: will they respond to the residents' demands or continue to let dissatisfaction simmer? (T2)