Prosperous Kutai revives past glory<\/p>\n
The scenario sounds too good to be true. Every child gets a free
\neducation. Farmers get subsidies and interest-free loans. Civil
\nservants are entitled to free medical care. Veterans and the
\nelderly receive special allowances, while every village is
\nequipped with excellent transportation facilities, training
\ncenters and adequate business infrastructure.<\/p>\n
\"There will be no more poverty and backwardness in my
\nregency!\" exclaimed H.M. Syaukani, Regent of Kutai Kartanagara, a
\nnewly established regency in the oil-rich province of East
\nKalimantan.<\/p>\n
Blessed with an abundance of oil and natural gas, coal, wood,
\nfish, plantations and agricultural commodities, the regent might
\nnot be dreaming. The idea was to make Kutai Kartanagara residents
\nprosperous just like their ancestors.<\/p>\n
In the fourth century, it was the site of the ancient Hindu
\nKingdom of Kutai, historically known as a powerful and wealthy
\nkingdom blessed with an abundance of gold, gems and food
\nresources. Its people were peaceful and happy, according to the
\nliterature.<\/p>\n
But after the kingdom's glory faded, its people were plunged
\ninto deep misery. Abandoned and isolated, the people of Kutai
\nwere powerless as outsiders exploited their natural resources,
\nleaving the locals in poverty.<\/p>\n
During each period of domination and exploitation by
\nneighboring kingdoms, warlords and later the Dutch, their assets
\nwere taken from them and sent back to the respective capital
\ncities. When the vast archipelago from Sumatra to Maluku declared
\nitself to be a single nation-state, Indonesia, in l945, and
\nforced the Dutch out, the fate of the Kutai people still did not
\nimprove. The New Order regime between l965 and l998 only
\ncontinued what other colonizers had done, taking their resources
\nand sending the profits to Jakarta, so their misery continued.<\/p>\n
Through its oil, natural gas, coal and forestry resources,
\nKutai Kartanagara contributed millions of US dollars to lots of
\npockets in Jakarta and elsewhere.<\/p>\n
This sad story might finally have a happy ending, however.
\nSince the central government launched the regional autonomy
\nproject in January 2001, the people of Kutai Kartanagara have
\nbeen fighting to make amends for centuries of exploitation.<\/p>\n
\"Autonomy is not a matter of transferring the rights or
\npower,\" defended regent Syaukani. It is more a decentralization
\nprocess which enables local authorities and the people to develop
\nnatural and financial resources as well as to empower the people.<\/p>\n
\"We want all development programs to directly benefit our own
\npeople,\" said Syaukani, also chairman of the Indonesia's Local
\nAuthorities Associations. Looking at what Syaukani and his people
\nhave done so far would make the country's poorer, or perhaps
\ncorrupt, regencies green with envy.<\/p>\n
During the four-day Otonomi Expo 2002 at the Bali
\nInternational Convention Center (BICC) in Nusa Dua last weekend,
\nKutai Kartanagara regency displayed its vast array of
\nhandicrafts, agricultural products, mining and energy prospects
\nin a spacious and well-decorated booth.<\/p>\n
At the booth, which was awarded the best booth at the expo,
\nofficials from the regency's offices provided all visitors with
\nglossy brochures, catalogs and pictures about its development
\nprograms and its industrial capacity and tourism facilities in
\none package.<\/p>\n
Compared to other participating regencies, Kutai Kartanagara
\nwas light years more prepared to lure visitors and investors.<\/p>\n
Kutai Kartanagara has been enforcing a new development program
\ncalled Gerbang Dayaku, meaning reaching their potential, in human
\nresources, in important infrastructure and other supporting
\nfacilities. The program focuses on a village development program,
\nsmall-scale businesses, education, health and poverty
\neradication.<\/p>\n
In education, the regency has launched a special program,
\nfree-for-all public education from elementary to high school, in
\nline with most other countries in the world. With the program,
\nthere will be no reason for parents not to send their kids to
\nschool. Facilities and special incentives are also available for
\nschool principals and teachers. Scholarships are available for
\nadministrators, teachers and university students wanting to take
\nadvanced or post-graduate studies.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the regency's village improvement project covers
\naround 197 villages. In 2001, each village was entitled to a Rp 1
\nbillion fund to facilitate various projects like road and bridge
\nconstruction and other key infrastructure, human resources and
\nsmall-scale business development.<\/p>\n
Around Rp 100 million out of the total was allocated for
\ninterest-free loans for small-scale and home industries. The
\nremaining balance was allocated for education and other human
\nresource development programs.<\/p>\n
Starting in 2002, the amount was increased to Rp 2 billion for
\neach village. The allocation for interest-free loans was also
\nraised, to Rp 500 million.<\/p>\n
It is intended for farmers to update their machinery or for
\nsmall-scale entrepreneurs to expand their businesses.<\/p>\n
With such an ambitious program, the regency is now relying on
\nits agriculture, its mining and energy potential, and forestry
\nand fishery sectors to make it profitable.<\/p>\n
In the agricultural sector, the regency has 140,000 hectares
\nof arable land for rice. It has also 404,541 hectares for palm
\noil plantations producing some 19,000 tons a year.<\/p>\n
Pepper is another prime commodity. Kutai Kartanagara produces
\naround 12,000 tons of pepper annually. Mining and Energy has
\ngenerated millions of US dollars in revenue.<\/p>\n
PT Badak NGL Co is now exploring liquefied natural gas with a
\ntotal production of 16.439 million barrels per year. Coal
\nproduction, managed by seven companies, nets 21.93 million tons
\nper year. Other companies include Unocal, which is exploring the
\noil and gas potential.<\/p>\n
It would be great if Kutai Kartanagara could become an example
\nfor other regencies in Indonesia in adopting regional autonomy
\nfor the benefit of the people. The central government would do
\nwell to promote the regency as its top success story so that
\nother regencies will follow. -- Rita A. Widiadana<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/prosperous-kutai-revives-past-glory-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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