Sarwono's lead<\/p>\n
When State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja
\ndeclared the other day that Indonesia will phase out leaded
\ngasoline by 1999, his statement, in spite of President Soeharto's
\nbacking, appears to have fallen on deaf ears. This can be seen
\nfrom the cold response, if any was perceived at all, from
\nsociety.<\/p>\n
A commitment to comply from Pertamina, the state oil monopoly,
\nwas not forthcoming. Similarly, the automotive industry, another
\ncrucial player if this project is to get off the ground, is not
\ncommitting itself to anything. Other government agencies that are
\nsupposed to enforce the policy have not made any kind of response
\nat all. Consumers, as usual, are being apathetic.<\/p>\n
But then, we have seen this reaction time and again whenever
\nthe Office of the State Minister of Environment makes a move
\nwhich could upset the current status quo, no matter how noble the
\nintention is. We saw the same inertia when it warned of the
\nhazards of arbitrarily cutting tropical rain forests, of river
\npollution, of building in areas reserved for water catchment, of
\nusing ozone-depleting substances, and other premonitions about
\nsociety's failure to conserve nature's delicate ecological
\nbalance.<\/p>\n
These all show that environmental awareness among people in
\nthis country is appallingly low. Nobody wants to pay for the
\ncosts of conserving the environment if they can help it, and
\neverybody wants to pass the buck to others, chiefly to future
\ngenerations.<\/p>\n
Some of the tragedies associated with environmental neglect
\nare already occurring here, and we are already paying a high
\nprice for them. The major floods that wreaked havoc in Jakarta
\nthis year are but a foretaste of worse things to come, unless we
\nact now.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's slow switch to unleaded gasoline is already taking
\na toll on the health of the people, particularly children, in
\nurban centers. One estimate puts Jakarta's annual health costs
\nrelated to airborne lead at Rp 140 billion (US$60 million). The
\ncost is obviously not sufficiently high to prompt action, and the
\n1999 deadline Sarwono has set is likely to be ignored.<\/p>\n
If the warnings and policy directives churned out from
\nSarwono's office are being consistently ignored until disaster
\nstrikes, we ought to question the effectiveness of his office. It
\nhas had the privilege of being run by as eloquent and persuasive
\nministers as Sarwono and his predecessor Emil Salim. But the
\noffice lacks teeth because, as the leader is only a state
\nminister, its role is one of coordinating rather than enforcing.<\/p>\n
They have no influence over Pertamina, which owes its
\nallegiance to the Ministry of Mines and Energy, and the
\nautomotive industry, which looks to the Ministry of Industry and
\nTrade. Neither of them feel any obligation to comply with
\nSarwono's directives unless their patrons in the government say
\nso.<\/p>\n
Given the urgency of environmental conservation efforts in
\nthis country, it is now time to rethink the role assigned to
\nSarwono's office. Perhaps turning it into a full ministry, and
\ncertainly giving it greater clout, are two answers.<\/p>\n
Also important in any environmental conservation drive is the
\ngovernment's political will. In the case of removing lead from
\ngasoline, where unfortunately politics and big business prevail
\nover common sense, a major political will is required from the
\ngovernment and from us all.<\/p>\n
Sarwono has taken the lead on the issue. Now it is up to
\neveryone else -- other government agencies, business and
\nconsumers -- to take the lead out of gasoline.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sarwonos-lead-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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