'Sustainable development important but nonsense'<\/p>\n
The issue of sustainable development is well understood by
\nthose involved in policy decision-making, both in the government
\nand the legislature. However, this issue is not recognized by
\nlaymen, including artist Ria Irawan. The Jakarta Post talked to
\nseveral people from various walks of life about what their
\nimpression was of sustainable development.<\/p>\n
Ria Irawan, actress<\/p>\n
\"I have never read an article or book with those words
\n(sustainable development) mentioned.<\/p>\n
It's like paying taxes. I don't like to pay taxes and I don't
\nwant to do it even though it is stated everywhere about the
\nimportance of it. It's all nonsense to me.<\/p>\n
To me, development should be sustainable. No question about
\nit. But no matter how many people gather there (in Bali), they'll
\nonly be just talking.\"<\/p>\n
A. Sonny Keraf, former state minister of environment<\/p>\n
\"The environment issue has been a cause for concern for the
\ninternational community as damage done to the environment has
\nreached an alarming level.<\/p>\n
Despite the alarm, however, environmental issues remain
\nlargely unknown and less popular than economic issues.<\/p>\n
Therefore, through the Fourth Preparatory Committee Meeting
\nfor the World Summit on Sustainable Development, we hope that
\nenvironmental issues will gain a more solid place in global
\ndiscussions and boost all consenting parties' commitments to the
\nenvironment.<\/p>\n
This is an agenda for everyone, and not merely the
\ndecisionmakers.\"<\/p>\n
Emmy Hafild, the coordinator of the Indonesian People's Forum
\n(IPF) and executive director of the Indonesian Forum for the
\nEnvironment (Walhi)<\/p>\n
\"The Fourth Preparatory Committee Meeting for the World Summit
\non Sustainable Development is very important since through this
\nmeeting, the seldom-heard voices of NGOs, farmers and women
\nactivists, will reach the ears of the outside world.<\/p>\n
We will enjoy enormous publicity here as it is a place where
\nwe can fight for sustainable development, poverty and other
\nissues.<\/p>\n
We hope that the official participants of the meeting will
\nmerely focus on a sustainable development agenda, and not bring
\nto the fore the issue of terrorism and other matters, which
\nmerely represent their own interests.\"<\/p>\n
Noviantika Nasution, legislator of the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)<\/p>\n
\"Sustainable development means how you can educate a
\ngeneration to stand on its own two feet and understand the
\nimportance of the continuity of life.<\/p>\n
We should be educating our children to become independent
\nindividuals and not be dependent on their parents to live, as is
\nhappening to our generation.<\/p>\n
Just take a look at the way many of our teenagers live: They
\nhave privileges, so they are ignorant and cannot understand the
\nimportance of thrift.<\/p>\n
If you can instill in your children the need to make an effort
\nin life, they will respect nature and think about the future
\ngenerations.\"<\/p>\n
Khofifah Indar Parawansa, former state minister of women's
\nempowerment<\/p>\n
\"Sustainable development is a very big issue, encompassing the
\ncontinuation of human life.<\/p>\n
When I first heard those words I remembered seeing some areas
\nin East Java where people had dug up sand amd rocks and drilled
\nfor oil. Those areas were alive with activity. But that's all in
\nthe past. As exploration died out, so did these areas.<\/p>\n
Nobody has done anything about it and the government has not
\npaid any attention to these areas.<\/p>\n
In the future we will really have to take into account what
\nkind of impact this type of exploration will have on our
\nenvironment, and not create any more ghost towns in the country.<\/p>\n
We have to keep in mind that we are consuming nonrenewable
\nresources, and then we can talk about sustainable development.\"<\/p>\n
Felia Salim, former deputy chairman of the bank restructuring
\nunit at the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA).<\/p>\n
\"The biggest challenge that sustainable development (in
\nIndonesia) faces is decentralization. On the upside,
\n(decentralization allows for) a more direct interaction with the
\nlocals. The downside is that businesses will need time to find
\nthe correct type of relationship with them. I see that some
\nprogress has been made.<\/p>\n
The central government itself still lacks coordination, so
\nmany of our pledges are not being implemented. For instance, the
\none on forestry to the CGI (Consultative Group on Indonesia).
\nThey (the pledges) usually fall in priority.<\/p>\n
There has got to be a strong political will to improve
\ncoordination. We need consensus building.<\/p>\n
My hope, of course, is that there will be a follow-up (to the
\nJohannesburg summit). Meaning that we need concrete definitions
\nand implementation.\"<\/p>\n
Herwidayatmo, chairman of the Capital Market Supervisory Agency
\n(Bapepam).<\/p>\n
\"It (the preparatory meeting in Bali) is a very good move to
\nraise public awareness about the issue (of sustainable
\ndevelopment). I am sure that to some extent there is public
\nawareness, but it all depends on implementation.<\/p>\n
Of course, to implement (sustainable development) is not easy.
\nOur government has inherited so many problems and these will need
\nto be sorted out.<\/p>\n
The government will have to find the best way to implement
\nsustainable development measures. And I think they (the
\ngovernment) recognizes the need for this.<\/p>\n
You look at people like Minister of Maritime Affairs and
\nFisheries Rohimin Dahuri and State Minister of Environment Nabiel
\nMakarim, they are environmental people, they have what it takes.<\/p>\n
On the business side, we will have to see how the government
\npolicies will go through and influence the way business is done.\"<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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