Constraints of development

Constraints of development

It is only recently we knew that there are constraints to development program in the Eastern Indonesia. The investors should feel attracted to invest their capital in this area. The attractions may involve incentives, facilities and the availability of adequate human resources, etc. Lack of these factors constitutes the main constraint to development in Eastern Indonesia.

Other significant constraint is the tendency of each province to try to get the biggest portion of the development fund, and give very little thought to the interest of others.

It must also be remembered that the commodities produced should be highly competitive in the world market.

It is to be admitted, however, that the development of Eastern Indonesia is rather late, because, in the first place, the deregulation package will be ready in May or June. In the second place, the development in Eastern Indonesia should have been started much earlier. But, according to Coordinating Minister for Industry and Trade Hartarto, better late than never.

-Merdeka, Jakarta

East Timor integration

Indonesia's patience and boldness in relation to the East Timor integration is being tried. East Timor has been integrated into Indonesia's 27th province and as far as Indonesia is concerned, the integration is final.

However, there is still an anti-integration group that continually attempts to corner Indonesia. We can note a number of incidents that solidly prove the existence of this anti- integration sentiment.

A group of Portuguese religious pilgrims of East Timor origin was treated badly in the Lisbon airport recently. A controversial film Death of a Nation produced by British journalist John Pilger shown in foreign countries was obviously meant by those opposed to the East Timor integration to discredit Indonesia.

The anti-integration groups seem to have employed all ways and means to achieve their goal, even to the point of manipulating information. In this case Indonesia must counter the false information with information that is right and true.

We should be firm in maintaining that the integration of East Timor into the republic is dead final.

-Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta