INTRODUCTION

According to the 2010 population census, Bataks comprise 12.5 per cent (209,000) of the total population of the Riau Islands. They are the third-largest ethnic group after the “host” ethnic group, the Malay, and then the Javanese, which account for 31 per cent and 25 per cent of the population, respectively. As a sizeable migrant community in the Riau Islands, the Bataks play a role in both the economic and political life of the province. This chapter deals with the migration of Bataks to the Riau Islands and their political aspirations in their new home.

Traditionally, the Batak is one of the Indonesian ethnic groups most prone to voluntary migration. There are many motives for Batak migration, however, traditional understandings of social and economic capital articulate several forms of success, which individuals should strive for. They include: progress (hamajuon); higher education (hagabeon); wealth and the capacity to be generous (hamoraon); and glory (hasangapon), which refers to securing a high position in the government or the military.

Many male Bataks have played a role in Indonesia's political history. Indonesians generally would remember Mr Adam Malik Batubara, former Vice-President of Indonesia under Soeharto, and prominent generals such as A.H. Nasution, T.B. Simatupang, Feisal Tanjung, and Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan (currently Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs).

On an individual level, these names have become an inspiration for many Bataks. This can be seen in how Batak migrants aspire to gain political positions in the places where they reside. In Riau Islands, for example, several Batak migrants have succeeded in attaining elected positions, the most prominent of whom is Jumaga Nadeak, the current Speaker of the provincial parliament.

This chapter aims to answer the following questions: First, how does tradition shape the political aspirations of Batak migrants to the Riau Islands? Second, how do Batak migrants in Riau Islands play a role in the province's political life? Third, how do Bataks, as politicians, interact with other ethno-religious groups in the Riau Islands?

To answer these questions, the chapter starts with a brief note on Batak political history. It then highlights the traditional motives of migration among the Bataks and their movement to Riau and the Riau Islands