State Border Being Improved
NUNUKAN, KOMPAS — The development of state border areas, which has become a government priority, has started to bear fruit, particularly in infrastructure. However, several areas along the nation’s borders are yet to enjoy infrastructure and social economy development.
The development of border areas aims not only to make the area more prosperous or to make it relatively equal with other regions, but also to strengthen nationalism.
The presence of the state, such as through basic facilities, would make people in the border areas feel that they were being taken care of. Thus, they have a reason to fight for an entity called Indonesia.
In 2015-2017, the government’s border area development included seven cross-border posts (PLBN), and it plans to build nine more by 2019. The seven cross-border posts are: PLBN Aruk, Sambas (West Kalimantan); PLBN Entikong (West Kalimantan); PLBN Nanga Badau, Kapuas Hulu (West Kalimantan); PLBN Motaain, Belu (East Nusa Tenggara/NTT); PLBN Motamasin, Malaka (NTT); PLBN Wini, North Timor Tengah (NTT); and PLBN Skouw, Jayapura (Papua).
Kompas on July 13-Aug.6 visited three land borders, the Indonesia-Malaysia border in Krayan, Nunukan (North Kalimantan), Indonesia-Timor Leste border in Belu, Central North Timor, and Malaka, and the Indonesia-Papua New Guinea border in Skouw, Jayapura. The observation visit confirmed the lack of basic infrastructure in those three locations.
According to Kompas’ research and development center, 74 percent of the human development index for 134 border regencies/cities were below the average national index in 2015, which stood at 69.55.The HDI calculated the three components of age and health, knowledge and living standards.
State presence
Although the HDI in the border regencies/cities were lower than the national index, the state’s presence could be felt in three border areas that Kompas visited. In Krayan, a Pertamina fuel depot was builtin 2016, whereas local residents had previously relied on fuel from Malaysia. In Skouw, aside from developing a PLBN, the government also built roads to kampongs in Muara Tami district that borders PNG. Since 2015, Skouw Sae, Skouw Yambe and Skouw Mabo kampongs in Muara Tami district have 24-hour electricity.
“We see development here,” said Benyamin Retto, 52, a farmer from Skouw Sae kampong.
Along the border with Timor Leste, the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry (PUPR) developed roads from the northern tip in Motaain (Belu) to Motamasin (Malaka) in the southern tip.
NTT Road and Bridge Operation Agency head Bambang Nurhadi said the development of 176.19 kilometers of border roads was targeted for completion in 2019. However, of the 23 villages in Krayan, only eight receive electricity from state company PLN, with the electricity available for only 12 hours. The existing road connects only the capital of Krayan, Long Bawan, to Ba’kelalan and Lawas in Sarawak, Malaysia. Meanwhile, land access from Krayan to other areas has not been opened. Krayan is only accessible from other areas in North Kalimantan by 12-seater plane.
Meanwhile, Pratama hospital in West Krayan does not have medical staff of facilities, and its development has stopped, and the community health center (puskesmas) in Long Bawan can only provide basic medical treatment due to limited facilities. “To get medical treatment for a broken leg, we have to take the plane to Tarakan,” said Sukirno, head of Krayan community health center.
The condition prompted Krayan’s Dayak Lundayeh tribal leader Yagung Bangau, 74, to make a threat in 2013 to move the border markers and remove Krayan from Indonesian territory. “It does not mean that we intend to be part of Malaysia. We just want to get out of Indonesia if there is no attention,” he said.
Many residents along the Indonesia-Timor Leste border find it difficult to access clean water while in Silawan village, East Tasifeto subdistrict, Belu, a number of residents did not receive electricity from PLN.
NTT Border Management Office head Paul Manehat said the Timor Leste government once offered an electricity subsidy for Indonesian residents in the border area, but the offer was rejected by the NTT administration. “It is true that electricity is necessary, but this concerns the nation’s dignity,” Paul said.
Jakarta’s Driyarkara School of Philosophy lecturer Augustinus Setyo Wibowo said the presence of the state in border areas would make the local people better able to imagine themselves as Indonesian citizens, because the state’s presence was part of their daily lives.
Development priority
National Border Management Agency (BNPP) deputy for border potential Boy Tenjuri said the government was serious in developing border areas, as seen from the increase in the border area budget.
In 2015, the border area budget stood at Rp 9.5 trillion, which increased to Rp 13 trillion in 2016 and to Rp 16.9 trillion in 2017. However, the amount was still below the ideal need of over Rp 20 trillion per year, Boy said.
BNPP data shows that 778 subdistricts of 134 regencies/cities in 23 provinces are located along the country’s borders. During the 2015-2019 period, the government was able to develop only 187 subdistricts of 41 regencies/cities in 13 provinces.
(REK/IRE/GAL/JOG/AGE/JAL/MKN)