Indonesians Resonance

Visi Indonesia 2030

Bang Jenal — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 11:39:24 +0000

(Website Presiden RI)

Visi Indonesia 2030 merupakan pemikiran Yayasan Indonesia Forum sebagai komponen bangsa yang memimpikan Indonesia sejajar dengan negara-negara besar dunia, dihuni oleh masyarakat yang sejahtera, dengan kemajuan ekonomi yang dinikmati merata oleh setiap warga negara Indonesia. Visi Indonesia 2030 tersebut ditopang oleh empat pencapaian utama, yaitu pengelolaan kekayaan alam yang berkelanjutan, mendorong Indonesia supaya masuk dalam 5 besar kekuatan ekonomi dunia dengan pendapatan perkapita sebesar 18 ribu dolar AS/tahun, perwujudan kualitas hidup modern yang merata, serta mengantarkan sedikitnya 30 perusahaan Indonesia dalam daftar Fortune 500 Companies.

Food Security or Industrialization

Bang Jenal — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 11:28:22 +0000

According to experiences in most parts of the world, the process of development leads to urbanization where shifting population, the emergence of the industrial and services sectors and the expansion of infrastructure are demanded. Of course, those require the more use of land. Hence, some agricultural land has to be converted for the non-agricultural purposes, which usual greatest demand is for industrial purposes. As industries expand, more land is used for the facilities which they are conducted; for the transportation, communication, power infrastructures that supports them; and for their labor and staff housing instead (Xiangzheng Deng, Jikun Huang, Scott Rozelle and Emi Uchida, 2006, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy website).

On the other hand, the rate of farmland loss has endangered the ability to meet future ‘food security’ needs. It may happen in regional level for the first time, and would have possibility to continue the impact to country level and global level at the end. The `food security` is a situation that exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life (Food And Agriculture Organization website). So then, the need to keep well the agricultural land which will regularly producing the sufficient food for people around the globe.

Frequently, some planners or development actors have to face this dilemma which likes “a coin with two different sides”. Both sides have a great positive impact in term of human being development, where in this case we will discuss it in term of in urban areas. So, which side would be a better chosen?

Some decision makers would like to prioritize industrial development over the agricultural sector because they believe Gerard Destanne de Bernis’s model, Lewis model and many theories which advocate that industrialization is a vital for development of third world countries (United Nations University website). Other reason is that for economic (technology, productivity, income) and large absorption of huge unemployment reasons, industry has superiority over agriculture (United Nations University website) which always set it as a main development priority in urban areas. The other reason is the difficulty to reach optimal result of agriculture production (quality and quantity) in the urban areas due to less land for irrigation facilities (such as dam), and the movement of people life style toward ‘modernization’. Almost young generation in the urban areas would prefer technology (modernization) rather than agriculture as their majority. It means there is a less prospect for agriculture generation and its development in urban areas. In term of the food security, the “pros” of industrialization argued that it is about equitable access to food which refers to access to the supply of food and ability of human to obtain the food (Jan McHarry, Frances Scott and Jennifer Green, 2002). Good supply food for urban areas may be achieved by providing attractive market places (with assumption the roads is well improve as support from industrialization) where the food would like and easily come from other areas (especially from rural area) which have agriculture sector as their basis development strategy. Instead, it will ensure the quality of the food to feed urban people. In term to the ability to obtain the food, the “pros” of industrialization ensure that when industrialization runs in a good way, the people income would generate and automatically increase their ability to the food.

On the other hand, another some decision makers try to emphasize the important of the ‘food security’ by advocate to keep well agriculture land from conversion in urban areas. The reason is because it would maintain regional, national and international food supply where the food insecurity would link to the aggravation of poverty. We can imagine how the bad things would really happen if the process of development around the world leads to increased urbanization, where all urban areas tend to convert the farmland for industrial needs. It is not only about food insecurity but also about unhealthy human being and environment degradation. Furthermore, agriculture may also contribute to local economies through sales, job creation, support services, and businesses, while distinctive agricultural landscapes may be magnets for tourism.

According to this debate, I would like to put my opinion that everything should be set in “balance” circumstances. It means there is certain condition where we have to decide to convert the agricultural land and there is also certain condition where we have to protect the agricultural land. Not so arrogant to one of each as many politicians did.

Because of that, I would prefer to use statement that the land conversion should be managed legally in order to ensure food security. I don’t like to use the “be restricted” because it is very strict for the something which very dynamic. “Be managed” has a really flexible meaning which is important in order to face unpredictable condition. Don’t forget that all should be done base on a wise and integrated plan and development priority. Furthermore, the restriction of land conversion is not only the one way to ensure the food security for urban people, because food security is about access to the supply of food and ability of human to obtain the food. In a simple term, food security is about access to get the food and price of food itself. Why do we have to keep on organizing the agricultural land where we know that we have a less potential for that? Why we don’t want to let our food needs be produced by our neighbor and we will produce another specialized things where we have big potential for that?

As a part of my proposal, I imagine there is a global organization which takes care in managing about land conversion in order to ensure global food security where all country as it members. Each country has approved quotas in term of agriculture land conversion. The quotas are determined and up dated regularly in term of “balance” country condition. There is a rule which allows quota selling and buying activities between different countries and any other complement rules.

It may also be implemented at country level where all province as its members. There is a national organization which takes care in managing about the land conversion to ensure national food security. Each province has approved quotas in term of agriculture land conversion. The quotas are determined and up to dated regularly in term of “balance” province condition. There is a rule which allows quota selling and buying activities between different provinces and any other rules.

Again, I just want to say that this is about development priorities of among the regions and the countries. So, the need to understand well our and their development priorities in term of present situation.

Bang Jenal

The “Pros” & “Cons” of De-bureaucratization

Bang Jenal — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 06:31:30 +0000

In a simple term, de-bureaucratization is a process of removing the monopoly of a few bureaucrat-politicians in the government, and this is done by making more rooms for the participation of citizen organizations in the country governance (Friedrich Ebert Stiftung website). De-bureaucratization modalities are including cooperatives, service contracts, management contracts, lease contracts, built operate transfer (BOT), joint adventure agreements, concessions and privatization (Benjamin V. Carino, 2007).

Even it sounds a very “holy” objective, but still there are debating in term of focusing it as a governance strategy. The “pros” group of de-bureaucratization argues that the rational behind for encouraging it because, in a new era, obsolete bureaucratic structures can not work effectively (United Nations website). It has showed to the world a poor coordination, functional overlap, lack of transparency, and in many cases, overstaffing of the government, etc (Alex Brillantes, 2001).Furthermore, de-bureaucratization has a number of advantages which may be achieved, some of them as following;

1. Some public functions and responsibilities may be more efficiently and effectively (Alex Brillantes, 2001).

2. Civil society and the private sector could be the source of additional resources that enable governments to meet increasing demand for services and infrastructure. It would influence to productivities and moreover increase economic growth (Benjamin V. Carino, 2007).It also promotes better coordination of actions and activities between government and non-government organizations. It means the optimizing of scarce resources could greatly improve (Benjamin V. Carino, 2007).

3. In some countries, this is a part of government strategy to reduce illegal wild collection and any other corruption cases (Suara Merdeka website).

4. It would attract investors (Catherina Mitzi, 2007), especially for industrial company, which may enlarge job opportunities and business activities for the local people.

5. In some cases, it would create a better quality services. (Catherina Mitzi, 2007)

6. It could be linked more explicitly on productivity growth in the public sector, improved transparency in service standards, and better mechanisms for citizen appeals of administrative abuse (United Nations website).

7. It will create positive externalities such as the increase of skill and technology knowledge of local manpower (Zainal Abidin, 2006)

On the other side, the “cons” group of de-bureaucratization argues that during this time, ineffectiveness of bureaucratization is because its implementation has gone to wrong direction and was not proper to ideal bureaucratization which introduced by Max Weber (Pertamina website). This has more problems to human’s ethical rather than the concept it self (Ginanjar Kartasasmita, 1996). So then, there is no guarantee that de-bureaucratization will be good for the long term. Furthermore, the government should be aware that they are only as organizer in the country and not as an owner which easily may sell country ‘assets’ to other groups. As well as many sources have also identified some disadvantages of de-bureaucratization which may come in, such as following;

1. State assets are centralized to individuals or big companies (Kru Hayatul Islam website).

2. Increased service cost (Catherina Mitzi, 2007)

3. Increased economic disparities among people, sectors, regions, etc. The country workers tend to become only as coolie or operator staff in their country (especially in term of privatization to the foreign companies) (PEMBEBASAN website)

4. Increased unemployment due to new role of management or high competition with other countries worker (especially in term of privatization to the foreign companies) (Kru Hayatul Islam website). 5. State lost some revenues (Zainal Abidin, 2006)

6. Reducing the transparency which may emerge the corruption (LA’O Hamutuk website).

7. It may emerge new kind of (economic) colonization (especially in term of privatization to the foreign companies) (Kru Hayatul Islam website).

In my point of view, I emphasize policy of de-bureaucratization should be encouraged by the government. It is not because of bureaucratization is wrong and de-bureaucratization is right, but because of some main reasons in term of Indonesia condition at the moment. They are;

1. Indonesia has really embraced the decentralization system where de-bureaucratization is a part of it. By encouraging de-bureaucratization, the bias because of non integrated decentralization system may be reduced and automatically the optimal expected results of decentralization may be achieved.

2. As reported by many sources, there is still low quality of public services and ineffectiveness in performing the public services because of lack coordination and low capacity of government officers. By encouraging de-bureaucratization, the improvement of quality of public services may be reached because it has supported by sharing with another group such as professional group (private sector), people group (NGO’s), etc. Furthermore the government officer can get lesson learning from these groups in term of management system, participative approach, etc which automatically may improve their capacity.

3. As a developing country and island country which has a lot of population, of course
Indonesia needs more improving its infrastructure facilities and any kind services, which need more expenses. The absence of de-bureaucratization system, may contribute as additional resources that enable governments to meet increasing demand for services and infrastructure.

4. As reported by Indonesia Statistical Center Bureau, number of unemployment in
Indonesia has reached 11 millions. By encouraging de-bureaucratization, the investment will be attracted to create a kind of business activities (especially industrialization) in
Indonesia and it will deliver multiplier impact to the increasing job opportunities. The number of unemployment may be reduced and economic growth will also increase.

As additional in term of de-bureaucratization performance, Indonesia has to consider or not neglect the disadvantages of de-bureaucratization which scared by the “cons” group. Improvement initiatives and creativities from government actor as a “steer holder” still have to be performed for encountering those disadvantages. Providing effective, complete and strong regulation for de-bureaucratization modalities; providing well control and mechanism; and creating a third hand which always takes care the vulnerable groups (because of de-bureaucratization) are my proposal for achieving the optimal de-bureaucratization. Bang Jenal

Pembangunan Rumah Susun

Bang Jenal — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 14:40:15 +0000

(Presiden RI Website)

Jakarta: Pemerintah akan melakukan percepatan pembangunan rumah susun (rusun) di perkotaan, sebagai solusi untuk mempertahankan lingkungan yang baik, sekaligus untuk memenuhi kebutuhan dasar rakyat akan rumah. Hal itu dikatakan Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, hari Rabu (7/2) sore, usai memimpin rapat terbatas (ratas) bersama Wakil Presiden Jusuf Kalla, di kantor Kementerian negara Perumahan Rakyat, Kebayoran, Jakarta Selatan.

Menurut Presiden, percepatan pembangunan rumah susun di perkotaaan dengan kategori kota besar dengah jumlah penduduk lebih dari 1,5 juta jiwa dan upaya menambah rumah sederhana sebagai bagian program pemerintah jangka menengah. “Lima tahun kedepan kita akan membangun 1000 tower atau setara 600 ribu unit. Pertimbangannya sangat jelas, kebutuhan akan rumah sederhana bagi rakyat berpenghasilan menengah ke bawah sangat diperlukan. Kemudian rusun di perkotaan adalah solusi untuk mempertahankan lingkungan yang baik, mengurangi biaya transportasi manakala letaknya dekat dengan tempat kerjanya, dan aspek – aspek lain yang sangat menguntungkan,” kata Presiden.

“ Pembangunan rusun sederhana ini juga sejalan dengan tujuan pembangunan kita, bahwa kita mengutamakan kebutuhan dasar rakyat, utamanya sandang dan papan. Kebijakan yang akan dilakukan adalah membangun rusun. Kita berikan insentif dan subsidi, kemudian rakyat bisa mendapatkan rumah dengan cara mengangsur pembeliannya. Selain itu ide membangun rusun ini untuk menkonsentrasikan perumahan – perumahan rakyat di lokasi yang tepat, mengurangi sebaran perumahan yang bisa berdampak kepada kemungkinan datangnya banjir,” ujar Presiden

Untuk itu Presiden mengharapkan kerjasama pemerintah pusat, pemerintah daerah, kalangan swasta dan seluruh masyarakat luas agar rumusan percepatan pembangunan rusun perkotaan segera diwujudkan. “Mengenai hal – hal teknis, seperti jumlah intensif, subsidi, lokasi, akan dijelaskan oleh Menpera, setelah semuanya defenitif dan itu nanti akan dijadikan kebijakan publik yang akan kita jalankan. Kemudian hal-hal yang harus kita konsultasikan dan kordinasikan dengan Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat akan kita lakukan, tetapi semangat kita sama, kita harus memberikan atensi dan kita harus memberikan kemudahan bagi rakyat terutama yang berpenghasilan rendah,” kata Presiden.

Beberapa menteri yang turut ratas di kantor Menegpera antara lain Menko Perekonomian Boediono, Menko Kesra Aburizal Bakrie, Mendagri M. Ma`ruf, Menteri PU Djoko Kirmanto, Menteri Pertahanan Juwono Sudarsono, Meneg PAN Taufik Effendi, Menpera Yusuf Asyari, Seskab Sudi Silalahi, Kepala Bappenas Paskah Suzetta, Kepala BPN Joko Winoto, Gubernur DKI Sutiyoso dan Jubir Presiden Andi Mallarangeng

Desa Mandiri Energi

Bang Jenal — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 06:29:17 +0000

(Presiden RI Website)
Dr. Andi A.Mallarangeng, dikutip dari harian Jurnal Nasional

‘Pakne…Pakne…ini minyaknya sudah mau habis, padahal perlu masak macam-macam. Besok kan mau pengajian di rumah?’

‘Beres Bune…kemarin sudah saya petik di kebun. Sekarang sudah kering semua. Tinggal diperas saja. Perlunya berapa liter?’

Percakapan semacam ini sebentar lagi sudah menjadi percakapan biasa di banyak desa. Terutama di desa-desa terpencil, yang dipersiapkan menjadi Desa Mandiri Energi. Mungkin Anda sudah bisa menduga apa yang dimaksud dengan suami isteri dalam percakapan itu. Ya, yang dibicarakan adalah minyak jarak yang digunakan oleh keluarga itu sebagai pengganti minyak tanah, seperti yang minggu lalu disaksikan oleh Presiden SBY di Kabupaten Grobogan.

Di desa terpencil itu, kelangkaan dan kemahalan minyak tanah sudah bukan masalah. Tinggal memetik buah jarak di kebun, lalu dikeringkan bijinya, kemudian diperas atau digiling. Dan minyak jaraknya, langsung bisa dipakai di kompor. Tak ada lagi bau minyak tanah. Hebatnya lagi, ampasnya pun bisa dijadikan briket dan digunakan pula sebagai arang briket yang langsung bisa dipakai untuk kompor briket yang sudah tersedia.

Kalau ada kelebihan produksi setelah penggunaan untuk kebutuhan rumah tangga, semuanya bisa dijual kepada pertamina ataupun berbagai perusahaan yang siap sedia untuk itu. Di Grobogan, PT Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia, sebuah BUMN yang bergerak dalam bidang biofuel, akan menampung segala kelebihan produksi petani dan membelinya dengan harga yang wajar. Bahkan jika petani ingin menanam jarak bukan hanya untuk konsumsi rumah tangga, tetapi justru sebagai usaha pokok, PT RNI juga bersedia bekerjasama dengan pola bagi keuntungan yang cukup menguntungkan petani.

Desa Tanjung Rejo, Kecamatan Ngaringan, Kabupaten Grobogan hanyalah satu dari dua ribu Desa Mandiri Energi di seluruh Indonesia yang akan dikembangkan sampai tahun 2009. Separuhnya dengan menggunakan Bahan Bakar Nabati, terutama jarak, tetapi juga tanaman lainnya seperti sawit, kelapa, singkong maupun tebu. Separuh lainnya menggunakan energi alternatif non BBN, yaitu dengan menggunakan mikrohidro, tenaga surya, tenaga angin, gas metane dari kotoran ternak, panas bumi dan sebagainya.

Semua desa ini adalah desa-desa yang terpencil, dengan infrastruktur yang tertinggal, atau berada di lahan kritis, dan miskin. Program desa mandiri energi memutus ketergantungan terhadap distribusi BBM, mengurangi atau menghapuskan biaya dan konsumsi BBM, menghidupkan ekonomi desa, menciptakan lapangan kerja, dan mendukung lingkungan hidup yang lestari.

Desa-desa ini hanya sebagai permulaan, sebagai contoh bahwa desa yang mandiri secara energi dengan menggunakan BBN atau energi alternatif lainnya bisa dilakukan, menguntungkan rakyat desa, dan mudah. Desa-desa lain, walaupun tidak terpencil tentu bisa pula mengikuti, sesuai dengan potensi desanya masing-masing.

‘Bang…enak ya sekarang. Kita tak perlu lagi tunggu-tunggu itu mobil tangki minyak tanah, datang atau tak datang di desa kita. Tinggal petik di kebun, kompor menyala. Mana kelebihannya bisa dijual lagi. Abang mau pisang goreng?

‘Bah…mana sudi aku antri minyak tanah lagi. Sekarang aku bisa jadi raja minyak. Aku lagi pikir bagaimana bikin listrik sendiri untuk desa ini, dengan minyak kita yang berlimpah ini. Biar kita bisa nonton TV tak perlu lagi pake aki. Dan anak-anak belajar tak perlu lagi pake petromak. Sayang…pisang gorengmu sekarang enak sekali. Tak ada lagi bau minyak tanahnya.’

Bola Beton Untuk Sumbat Lumpur

Bang Jenal — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 23:59:49 +0000

(BBCIndonesia.com, 24 February 2007)

Tim nasional penanggulangan banjir lumpur Sidoarjo menurunkan rangkaian pertama bola beton ke alam kawah pusat semburan lumpur panas.

Satu rangkaian yang terdiri dari empat bola beton itu berhasil masuk sampai kedalaman antara 150 hingga 300 meter, namun usaha memasukkan serangkaian bola beton lainnya harus dihentikan untuk sementara, karena kabel kawat baja yang digunakan untuk mengikat bola terputus. Kini tim nasional memperbaiki kabel kawat baja yang terputus agar dapat memasukkan kembali bola beton sembari menunggu reaksi luapan lumpur dan laporan alat detektor yang di masukkan bersamaan dengan bola beton.

Mengurangi debit

Usaha memasukkan bola beton bertujuan untuk mengurangi debit lumpur yang keluar. Tim berencana menurunkan sekitar 1.500 bola beton, yang masing-masing berbobot sekitar 250kg. Beberapa ilmuwan mengatakan, sungai lumpur itu mungkin terbentuk akibat pemboran, tapi PT Lapindo Brantas menuding gempa bumi sebagai penyebabnya.

Lumpur panas mulai menyembur sekitar sembilan bulan lalu di kawasan pemboran di Porong, Sidoarjo, Jawa Timur. Genangan lumpur itu kemudian mengubur pabrik dan ribuan rumah, serta memaksa belasan ribu warga mengungsi. Para pakar memperkirakan, semburan lumpur mungkin berlanjut selama beberapa bulan, bahkan beberapa tahun mendatang.

Pemerintah Indonesia telah berusaha menghentikan lumpur dengan membangun bendungan dan menyalurkan sebagian lumpur ke laut, namun sejauh ini hasilnya terbatas.

‘Kabel putus’

Tim geologis dan insinyur mengharapkan, rencana yang diyakini belum pernah dicoba sebelumnya, akan mengurangi jumlah lumpur yang mengalir dari lokasi itu hingga sekitar 70 persen.

Setiap ruas rantai sepanjang 1,5m digantungi empat bola beton. Dua dengan diameter 40cm dan dua lagi dengan diameter 20cm. Tim penanggulangan lumpur berencana untuk pelahan-pelahan menurunkan lima hingga 10 rantai pada hari pertama, Sabtu, dan kemudian menambah jumlahnya hingga mereka bisa menyisihpkan 50 rantai per hari.

Namun, proses itu dihentikan pada hari pertama operasi ketika kabel baja yang mengikat bola beton tadi patah, kata para pejabat seperti dilaporkan Pembantu BBC Donny Maulana dari Porong, Sidoarjo.

Beberapa ilmuwan independen yakin, semburan lumpur ini dipicu oleh pemboran oleh PT Lapindo Brantas. Penelitian lain memperkuat pernyataan PT Lapindo Brantas bahwa adalah bencana alam yang ditimbulkan oleh peningkatan kegiatan seismis menyusul gempa bumi kuat dua hari sebelum lumpur mulai mengalir.

Ribuan Pulau Indonesia Akan Tenggelam

Bang Jenal — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 23:46:33 +0000

(BBCIndonesia.com, 30 January 2007)

Sekitar 2.000 pulau di Indonesia akan tenggelam dalam 30 tahun mendatang, akibat terus meningkatnya permukaan air laut akibat pemanasan global. Asumsi tenggelamnya sekitar 2.000 pulau sebelum tahun 2030 tersebut berdasarkan data Panel Ahli PBB tentang perubahan iklim, IPCC yang menyebutkan tingkat kenaikan air laut di Indonesia mencapai 90 cm menjelang tahun tersebut.

Dengan kenaikan permukaan air akibat pemanasan global tersebut, kata Menteri Negara Lingkungan Hidup, Rachmat Witoelar, maka pulau-pulau rendah akan tenggelam. Selain menenggelamkan ribuan pulau, menurut ahli cuaca-iklim, Agus Paulus Winarso, pemanasan global di Indonesia sudah langsung bisa dirasakan oleh masyarakat saat ini.

Di Indonesia, pegiat lingkungan mengatakan langkah pemerintah mengatasi pemanasan global masih minim.

Discussing Development Proposal within Economic Base Model Context

Bang Jenal — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:28:01 +0000

Economic base (EB) model is the oldest, simplest and most widely used technique for regional economic analysis. This model is based on the idea which asserts strengthening and growing the local economy by developing and enhancing the basic sector or export sector ( Florida State University, Department of Urban and Regional Planning website). Or in a simple term may be said that regional economic growth is attained only by an increase in exports. Because of those the EB model is also known as an export-base model (US Department of Commerce, 2005).

The advantages of this model are easy to apply, a fairly flexible framework (can be applied to towns, cities, states, regions, etc for the short or long-run changes in economic), and highlights the importance of the openness of a regional economy to its growth. But there are also some criticisms to this model such as neglect of supply-side influences on regional growth, little or no convincing evidence to support using this paradigm for the long-run regional growth model, etc. (Regional Economic Growth Theory website).

According to proposal within EB model context, it can be suggested that all development actors should consider and provide comprehensive policies and strategies which focus on protecting and stimulating growth in the basic industries if their areas have potentials for it (Paul Templet, no year indicated). Such as a “We help you export” propaganda which is implementing by a lot of countries where they are trying to remove the trade barriers and any other barriers for foreign investments, improve infrastructures (especially transport), deregulate labor markets, and any kind strategies which support export activities. (Johannes L., 2006).

By these comprehensive regulations, the basic industries which typnically include resource-extractive industries (mining, agriculture, fishing, timber) as well as heavy manufacturers are getting more chance for well growing. Then the export sector which identified by EB model as the “engine” of the local economy will expand and be followed by increase of a “multiplier effect” to the local employment and earnings (Paul Templet, no year indicated). Of course, this will emerge direct links to unemployment rate reduce and consumption to good and services locally increase. By more consumption locally, the expansion of local sector will follow to the positive line. Next, the increasing employment rate will generate community income. It means the poverty rate is getting more chance to decrease while saving and investment activities will increase. This situation will make local sector has more and more possibility to expand. On the other side, there is a positive externality of industries growth where usually a certain company in basic industries provides regular programs for promoting social development of the community. Even some people said that this is a part of company strategy in order to get community support, but these programs are really giving the light signal to decreasing of unemployment and poverty rates.

Overall, I conclude that by EB model, which tend to emphasize export expansion (basic sector), not only both employment generation and poverty reduction as main effects which can be reached, but also the local sector expansion. The expansion and decline of local sector is depended on growth or contraction in the basic industries. This is the “economic base” that “supports” the local sector. (Paul Templet, no year indicated).

However, keeping the positive cause-effect linkages for getting maximum intended effects are not easy. Besides direct (physical) development, there are a lot of important factors which have to be considered. In this time, the essay would only discuss about human capital and social capital. Certainly, human capital stock of the area which is supported by good knowledge and skills would be hired by industrial base companies. As some experts said the higher the human capital stock, the easier is the acquisition of new knowledge and skills (Johannes L., 2006). Without good human capital, the companies have to hire manpower (worker) from outside of the region (import). This will deliver to the high cost of production processes, unabsorbed local unemployment and sometimes the some portions of worker money will go to the worker home region (not support to the local economy). Furthermore, the reducing profit of the companies because high cost of man power would head for warning signal of operating sustainability of this industry in this area. So then, the local development actors should promote a number of education programs for their local manpower regularly and it would be passed on from generation to generation.

Regarding to the social capital, the industrial or export companies do not only find areas which strategies based on location theories, but also based on social capital or social condition where they can expand their business. In this term, social capital is included a good situation of community such as good norms, not susceptible of conflict among the community, can be trust, punctuality, etc (Johannes L., 2006). Because of this, the development actors also have to consider any kind of programs which could strengthen the social capital of the community.

Now, we are asking about how far the Indonesia government efforts in order to keep positive cause-effect of EB model for indonesia people and how wise Indonesia people to their human and social capitals? Have you seen the real sample of “Lapindo mud” case?, have you seen how big uneployment rate in indonesia due to lack of knowledge and skill?, how do you feel regarding “Poso conflict” case and other conflict cases in Indonesia?. Finally, do you believe the poverty can be alleviated without human and social capitals improvements?

Regards – Bang Jenal

Consequences of Rapid Population Growth

Bang Jenal — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 23:20:19 +0000

The growth in human population around the world affects all people through its impacts on the economy, social and environment sectors. Rapid human population growth has a variety of consequences which in this essay it would be separated becoming micro and macro levels consequences. The micro level consequences in this context are referred to individual and family things while the macro level consequences are referred to regional, national and global things instead.

At the micro level, rapid population growth has delivered to unmet need which significantly threat child and maternal health and family welfare (United Nations Population Information Network / POPIN website). If the number of family member increases while the family income still in low rate (poor family) and can not cover the family needs, so then children may be affected by micronutrient deficiencies and easily attacked by diseases which also have a detrimental effect on growth and development. Furthermore, most maternal deaths are due to unsafe practices in terminating pregnancies, a lack of readily available services for high-risk pregnancies, and women having too many children or having them too early and too late in life (World Population Balance website). On the other hand, lower fertility levels resulting in smaller families were thought to benefit both parents and their children directly, at least the wife has more chance as an employment to support family welfare (United Nations Population Information Network / POPIN website).

At the macro level, rapid population growth has delivered a number of consequences such as environmental threats, poverty, scarcities of food and fresh water and international security threat.

Environmental Threats

Rapid population growth will emerge the expansion of human activity. The expansion of human activity will cause the destruction of forest and the loss of biological diversity which may lead to instability of ecological systems and reducing ability of the ecosystem to combat global warming. As reality, the population growth is following by increasing of water pollution, erosion of hillsides and silting of rivers, increasing of greenhouse gases, rising sea levels, growing weather severity, disruption of agriculture, and increase the energy and resources consumption (Population Media Center website).

Poverty

Rapid population growth aggravates poverty in developing countries by producing a high ratio of dependent children for each working adult. This leads to a relatively high percentage of income being spent on immediate survival needs of food, housing, and clothing, leaving little money for purchase of elective goods or for investment in the economy, education, government services, or infrastructure. Lack of available capital continues to frustrate the attempts of many developing countries to expand their economies and reduce poverty. Only about 20 percent of the current world’s population has a generally adequate standard of living. The other 80 percent live in conditions ranging from mild deprivation to severe deficiency. This imbalance is likely to get worse, as more than 90 percent of future population growth is projected for the less developed countries ( Population Media Center website)(see Figure 1).

Source : Own construct

Scarcities of Food and Fresh Water

Productive agricultural systems have contributed to economic progress in many countries, both developed and less developed. The Green Revolution of the 1970s enabled some developing countries to become net exporters of food. Yet, global population growth during and since the Green Revolution is continuing to consume more and more of the expanding food base, leading to a decline in per capita availability of cereal grains on a global basis over the last 15 years.

The world’s agricultural systems rely substantially on increasing use of fertilizers. But now, the world’s farmers are witnessing signs of a declining response curve, where the use of additional fertilizer yields little additional food product. At the same time, fertilizers and intensive cropping lower the quality of soil. These factors will more and more limit the possibilities of raising food production substantially and will, at a minimum, boost relative food prices and resulting hunger for many. So will the mounting resistance of pests to insecticides, which are used increasingly by the world’s farmers. On a global basis, 37 percent of food and fiber crops are now lost to pests. At the same time, nitrogen-based fertilizers are yielding nitrous oxide, which adds to the greenhouse effect of the carbon dioxide humans produce.

At the same time, shortages of water are at a crisis point in many countries. At least 400 million people live in regions with severe water shortages. By the year 2050, it is projected to be approximately two billion. Water tables on every continent are falling, as water is pumped out at far greater rates than rainwater can replenish in order to provide irrigation for agriculture. India, for example, is pumping out its underground aquifers at twice the rate of natural replenishment. Humans are already using half of the globe’s products of photosynthesis and over half of all accessible fresh water. Long before human demand doubles again, the limits of the ecosystem’s ability to support people will become dramatically evident (Population Media Center website).

Threats to International SecurityAs mentioned earlier, population growth is a major contributor to economic stagnation through its depressing effect on capital formation. With growing numbers of young people attempting to enter the labor force, many developing countries have extraordinarily high levels of unemployment. Often high rates of unemployment give rise to severe political instability, which ultimately threatens national and international security. Moreover, the combination of poverty and violence is adding rapidly to the number of refugees seeking to move into more stable and prosperous areas. Growth of refugee and migrant populations are contributing to political instability and economic dislocation in many countries. Intelligence agencies in the U.S. and elsewhere have long recognized the implications of population growth for international security ( Population Media Center website) (see Figure 2).

Source : Own construct

However, the rapid population growth is not all bad, it has also positive impacts. As a few writers, including the late Herman Kahn of the Hudson Institute, and Julian Simon of the University of Maryland and the Heritage Foundation, have claimed public attention and influenced current U.S. population policy by arguing that population growth, in the long run, is beneficial to economic growth (Ford Foundation website).

Based on those, indonesia development actors should properly think how to make a big population indonesia has is going far away from the foregoing negative cause-effects. Instead, it should become a positive powerful element in order to blast economic boredom.

Regards – Bang Jenal

Memahami “Development”

Bang Jenal — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 03:45:32 +0000

“ Development action tidak hanya dibutuhkan oleh negara yang sedang berkembang atau yang terbelakang, melainkan oleh semua negara “. Demikian kutipan simpulan Dudley Seers, seorang pakar ekonomi terkenal di era tahun 70an, dalam teorinya menyangkut development. Lebih lanjut, ia mempertegas bahwa apabila sebuah negara menghadapi salah satu ataupun keseluruhan dari masalah kemiskinan, pengangguran dan ketidaksamaan/ketidakadilan, maka negara tersebut membutuhkan development action meskipun income percapitanya melayang tinggi.

Lain halnya dengan Brundlant pada tahun 1987 yang menyinggung definisi development dan menyadarkan kepada dunia akan pentingnya sustainable development. Di dalam laporannya yang juga dikenal sebagai Our Common Future disebutkan bahwa selayaknyalah pembangunan yang dilakukan adalah pembangunan berkelanjutan, yang tidak hanya mengutamakan sector ekonomi saja, melainkan juga mengutamakan sector lingkungan (termasuk sumber daya alam) dan kondisi masyarakatnya.

Pakar lainnya, pada era tahun 90-an, Amartya Sen juga memperkaya definisi development dengan memaparkan bahwa `development` dibutuhkan untuk mengurangi deprivation (sesuatu yang hilang). Deprivation dimaksudkan adalah hal – hal yang bermuara ke arah kemiskinan, termasuk kelaparan, iliterasi, kondisi kesehatan yang buruk, ketidakberdayaan, tidak memiliki hak suara, tidak aman, penghinaan, dan kurangnya aksess ke infrastruktur dasar.

Melalui Human Development Report tahun 1991, UNDP juga menyinggung tentang definisi development dengan menyebutkan bahwa sasaran mendasar dari human development adalah memperluas kesempatan bagi masyarakat untuk menentukan `pilihan` agar development yang dilakukan lebih democratic dan participatory. Lebih lanjut di jelaskan bahwa `pilihan` yang dimaksudkan adalah termasuk akses ke income, kesempatan kerja, pendidikan, kesehatan dan kondisi fisik lingkungan yang bersih dan aman dan keterlibatan masyarakat dalam pengambilan keputusan. Masyarakat dapat menikmati kebebasan dalam humanity, economic dan politic.

Tentunya, istilah `development` bukan hanya yang tertera di atas, namun kutipan definisi definisi tersebut setidaknya telah mengantar kepada pemahaman yang lebih mendalam bahwa pengertian `development` tidak terlepas dari multiaspek, baik itu aspek ekonomi, social, lingkungan dan bahkan politik sekalipun. Jika demikian, adakah negara di dunia ini yang benar – benar terbebas dari permasalahan multiaspek di atas? Apakah pantas Indonesia berkiblat ke salah satu negara maju dalam hal development?

Regards-Bang Jenal