Poverty lingers in East Kalimantan<\/p>\n
Rusman, The Jakarta Post, Samarinda<\/p>\n
In spite of the unbearable heat, Hasan, 46, works with
\ndetermination, picking up plastic bottles, cans and scrap metal
\nstrewn across a vacant lot behind Sempaja Sports Complex in
\nSamarinda.<\/p>\n
\"I earn Rp 5,000 a day scavenging. It is enough for our daily
\nfood, but certainly not enough to cover my child's school fees,\"
\nsaid Hasan, the father of a 12-year-old boy, Hardian, who has
\nalready dropped out of school. His wife, Hasnah, 44, collects and
\nsells kangkung, a leafy vegetable that grows in water.<\/p>\n
The family live in a wooden 4.4 meter square hut in
\nSamarinda's Ulu area. Inside there is little else but a gas
\nstove, an old radio and a mat that serves as their bed.<\/p>\n
It is small compensation that when they move in a week's time
\n-- at the landowner's demand -- there will not be much to pack
\nup. He gave no clear reason for their eviction.<\/p>\n
\"I beg the government for help, but I don't have much faith
\nthat anyone will step in,\" said Hasan.<\/p>\n
Though East Kalimantan is rich in natural resources, many of
\nits people live in poverty.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the East Kalimantan government is seemingly focused
\non other things, such as the construction of the Sempaja Sports
\nComplex and Madya Sports Stadium, which together cost the
\nprovince some Rp 900 billion.<\/p>\n
The province has also bought five GA8 Airvan airplanes from
\nAustralia at a total cost of Rp 27.5 billion. Another project
\nthat raised eyebrows was the construction of the East Kalimantan
\ngovernor's residence, which cost the province Rp 71.1 billion.<\/p>\n
The province's budget is larger than most other province's due
\nto its natural resource production. It produced 50.4 million tons
\nof coal, 14.4 tons of gold and 10.7 tons of silver in 2003.
\nNatural gas and oil production reached 1.7 billion cubic meters
\nand 79.7 million barrels respectively in the same year.<\/p>\n
Last year, the provincial budget was Rp 2.9 trillion and this
\nyear's budget slightly decreased to Rp 2.65 trillion.<\/p>\n
However, the sizable budget is apparently of little benefit to
\nthe poor. Last year, according to government figures, poor people
\nin the province reached 330,147 people of the total population of
\n2.7 million. Of 2,094 schools in the province, 628 have
\nreportedly fallen into disrepair.<\/p>\n
Nusyirwan Ismail, assistant to the governor for development
\nand welfare, agreed that poverty was widespread in the province,
\nbut blamed the problem on migrants. The migrants, many of whom
\nare unskilled workers, set out to try their luck in the resource-
\nrich province, but many ended up jobless.<\/p>\n
Some were initially employed, but a slump in the economy
\nforced some companies to shut down operations, particularly
\ntimber companies.<\/p>\n
\"No wonder that the number of poor people is on the rise,\"
\nsaid Nusyirwan.<\/p>\n
Nusyirwan said the provincial government would be focusing on
\nimproving the quality of human resources to reduce the
\nunemployment rate.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/poverty-lingers-in-east-kalimantan-1447893297",
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