Engineer's group urges government to put more emphasis on technology

Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A coalition of three engineers associations, boasting a total of 17 million members between them, urged the government on Thursday to pay more attention to technological development in the country.

The Indonesian Society of Engineers and Technicians (PATI), the Center for Technology and Industry Development (CTID) and the Caucus for Technology agreed that the government should create a favorable climate for innovations not only from engineers but from the common people.

Leading figures of the coalition attended Thursday's function at the Bung Karno Tennis Indoor Stadium, at Senayan, in Central Jakarta to raise public awareness about technology. The event was held in conjunction the Youth Pledge Day, which falls on Oct. 28.

GM Tampubolon, spokesperson for the coalition, told reporters that the government should implement People's Consultative Assembly Decree No. VI/2002 which stipulates that the country should treat technology as a key element in the national development strategy.

"We aim to raise people's awareness of the importance of technology as a key element in our efforts to create jobs," said Tampubolon, who is also an MPR legislator representing the Interest group faction.

The cross-faction coalition also called on engineers to pioneer innovations, he said.

Also attending the function were House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung of Golkar Party, Minister of Agriculture Bungaran Saragih and Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea, both from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle.

Some 1,000 students from various senior high schools were also present in the event.

Unlike the nonpartisan CITD and PTI, the Caucus for Technology is a group consisting of politicians from various parties, among others, Arifin Panigoro, Marwah Daud Ibrahim, Panda Nababan, Pramono Anung and Sri Edi Swasono.