Rantau Gedang Village, located in Bathin VIII District, has now become a barometer of community order in Sarolangun Regency. Since 2021, this village has enforced a Village Regulation (Perdes) that strictly bans all forms of nightlife, a policy that is now being further strengthened in line with the directives of the Regent of Sarolangun, H. Hurmin.
The Head of Rantau Gedang Village, Zulman Manap, revealed that this initiative was born out of a mutual consensus between the village government, the Village Consultative Body (BPD), customary leaders, and religious figures. This preventive step was taken as a shield for the younger generation to avoid potential narcotics abuse, the distribution of alcoholic beverages, and criminal acts often triggered by nightlife activities.
To ensure compliance among residents, the village government applies a serious system of customary sanctions. Violators who persist in hosting nightlife are required to pay a fine consisting of 20 sacks of rice and one goat. In addition to the material burden, violators will also face social sanctions in the form of ostracization from community activities accommodated by the village government.
Not only targeting the general public, this disciplinary rule also applies strictly to the internal village bureaucracy. Zulman emphasized that village officials proven to attend or facilitate nightlife will face administrative sanctions in the form of permanent dismissal from their positions. This policy is deemed a crucial step to maintain the authority of legal and customary norms in society.
To date, the implementation of the rule is recognized to have run effectively and created a more conducive atmosphere in the village. The Rantau Gedang Village Government hopes this independent initiative can serve as a model for other villages in the Sarolangun region in efforts to maintain environmental safety and order based on local wisdom.
