An Indonesia-Malaysia joint border post in Long Midang, Krayan district, Nunukan regency, North Kalimantan.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – Community leaders in a number of border regions are responding positively to the government’s commitment to equality in development, which includes in border areas. The government’s commitment will not only involve infrastructure development but also human resources and economic development in border regions.
In his state of the nation address at the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) on Wednesday (16/8/2017), President Joko Widodo said the government would focus more on achieving equitable economic distribution. The government wants Indonesians in border areas, frontier regions, outermost islands and isolated regions to feel the presence of the state, to enjoy the fruits of development and to be proud to be citizens of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla said development in border regions would be done in stages. Currently, the government is focusing on completing infrastructure development in border regions. This is because the government believes that infrastructure development will open access to isolated regions, including border regions. With open access, it will be easier to deliver goods to these border regions. This way, local economies will be boosted.
After completing infrastructure development, Kalla continued, the government will focus on developing human resources in border regions.
Hope
Skow Sae village head, Eduard Muttang, said in Jayapura on Thursday that the central government’s commitment would provide better futures for people in border regions. He said he hoped the government would be able to implement the commitment in real development efforts, including in infrastructure, human resources and natural resources. “As a result, we will be able to further develop our region,” he said.
Skow Sae is a village in Muara Tami district in Jayapura city, Papua, located on the border between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. In the last few years, development in the area around the Skouw integrated cross-border post (PLBN) in Muara Tami has also touched local villages. Roads have been constructed and locals have been able to enjoy electricity supplied by state electricity company PT PLN since 2015.
According to Muttang, locals now need help in obtaining knowledge on sustainable natural resources management. He said that Skow Sae had a beautiful beach that could be developed into a tourist destination. Businesspeople have approached the villagers for investment opportunities. However, Muttang said he had rejected the offers as he felt the villagers were unprepared for such development. He was worried that the villagers would not be able to fully reap the economic benefits of the development.
Youth leader Erdianus Eko, 32, of Napan village in North Central Timor regency, East Nusa Tenggara, said the government’s commitment would be good for people in border areas. However, in order to avoid any negative impacts, government programs in border areas should be properly targeted and promoted among locals. This would ensure that locals were fully able to enjoy the development efforts in their hometowns.
The East Krayan district head of Nunukan regency in North Kalimantan, Freddyanto Gromiko, said the President’s speech spread optimism among people in border areas that they would be prioritized in development efforts. In past years, Krayan locals living on the border with Malaysia’s Sarawak have felt the government’s efforts in developing border regions.
Among these efforts, one of the most significant ones was the implementation of a single-price fuel policy. Residents of Krayan Induk district are now able to enjoy subsidized fuel at around Rp 7,000 (52 US cents) per liter. Previously, people in the Krayan highlands bought their fuel from Malaysia at a high and fluctuating price of around Rp 15,000 per liter. During shortages, the fuel price could reach Rp 50,000 per liter, such as in December 2015.
Nevertheless, Freddyanto said, there are still three relatively isolated villages in East Krayan district due to limited access and flights, namely Wa’yagung, Bungayan and Paraye.
The three villages with around 600 residents are located in a mountainous region surrounded by forests and can only be reached by hours of trekking. This obstructs the delivery of daily needs, health care and government services.
Therefore, Freddyanto said, the people of Krayan hoped that the President’s speech on road infrastructure development could be implemented soon in Krayan.
