In 1971, under a presidential decree, Batam was designated an industrial area, and implementing the 1971 development plan resulted in Batam becoming an industrial city in the early 1980s. Its location was Batu Ampar, which is where economic activities and the population were concentrated. Following its growth as an industrial city, Batam attracted immigrants seeking employment. However, at the peak of its population, Batam experienced high unemployment rates and other social problems, which led to widespread poverty, illegal settlements, slums, crime, and prostitution. This study considers Batam's urban social problems from 1971 to 1998 when the industrial city experienced its peak development. This study contributes to the expansion of the sociological study of urban societies in Southeast Asia, especially Indonesian urban historiography. © The Author(s) 2025. All rights reserved.