As part of efforts to strengthen sustainable collaboration, the Luwu Regency Government through the Investment Acceleration Task Force (Pokja), together with PT Masmindo Dwi Area (MDA), has initiated the strengthening of the Village Forum as a participatory dialogue platform aimed at fostering sustainable collaboration to promote regional development and village economic independence through the clustering of regional potential, development of key commodities, and encouragement of community initiative.

The first Village Forum Strengthening activity was held in Tumbubara Village, Bajo Barat District, and was attended by representatives of the village government, community leaders, agricultural extension officers, Pokja representatives, local residents, and MDA management. The forum was designed as a collaborative platform to align aspirations and planning among communities, the government, and the company in accordance with the village economic independence plan and regional development priorities.

In his remarks, Pokja Secretary Zulkarnain stated that the Village Forum will serve as an important instrument to strengthen communication between communities and business actors, and to ensure that the benefits of mining investment are fairly distributed among villages surrounding the operational area.

“This forum is not merely a place for discussion, but a joint coordination mechanism to ensure that local development truly aligns with community needs,” he said.

Meanwhile, in a separate occasion, MDA’s Head of Mining Engineering, Mustafa Ibrahim, emphasized that MDA fully supports this collaborative approach to create sustainable synergy among the community, government, and company as the three pillars of regional development.

The activity also mapped field conditions, local business activities, and potential partnerships between villages and the private sector. The results of this mapping will serve as the basis for preparing the Village Forum’s future work agenda, including concrete steps to promote regional development and village economic independence within the mining area of the Awak Mas Project.

Ikram, a representative of the Kandang Ledo Group, expressed hope for synergy in developing palm sugar and liquid sugar commodities, which are currently the group’s main sources of income. He also highlighted the great potential for developing cocoa and corn commodities in Tumbubara Village, which are in high demand among residents.

Meanwhile, Mukaddim, a community leader representative, emphasized the importance of involving village-owned enterprises (BUMDes) in developing village economic self-sufficiency, particularly in Tumbubara Village. He hoped that the synergy between the local government, MDA, and the community would continue to be strengthened so that every development and empowerment program could be carried out collaboratively.

The initiative to strengthen the Village Forum is planned to be implemented in 21 villages surrounding the mining area. Both Pokja and MDA reaffirmed their commitment to continuously strengthen cross-sector communication to build public trust and deliver tangible benefits to the community.