Expert says RI must tackle land and manpower issues
Expert says RI must tackle land and manpower issues
JAKARTA (JP): Political analyst Juwono Sudarsono warned
Saturday that the country needed effective policymaking to
confront land and manpower issues, which he predicted would be
the biggest problems in the future.
Juwono, a participant in a discussion held by the Golkar
political grouping, said social conditions and economic growth
were inextricably linked. He added that a country's economy would
only grow robustly if its socioeconomic status was healthy.
This required productive and competitive human resources,
Juwono was quoted as saying by Antara. The discussion focused on
Golkar's concepts for the 1998 Broad Guidelines of State Policy.
Juwono was speaking in a session on people's participation on
equitable development, autonomy, organization and management.
Other speakers included the Armed Forces Chief of Sociopolitical
Affairs Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid and political analyst Daniel
Dhakidae.
"It's not easy to create quality human resources. It needs
management. The issue of manpower is not only about unemployment,
but also about how to empower our workers so that they become
quality and competitive workers," he said.
He also said that any campaign for equal job opportunities
should be accompanied by efforts to ensure chances for people to
share development's rewards. This would reduce the gap between
the haves and have nots, he said.
Juwono said land scarcity would also pose challenges in the
future.
"Along with population growth, land issues will become great
problems that need to be handled seriously," he said. "There
needs to be good management, one that doesn't create new
problems."
Juwono also addressed the increasingly important and strategic
role played by the private sector in national development.
"Let's hope that all efforts taken to develop the economic
sector be done with consideration of the...interests of all
people, not those only of individuals or groups," he said.
Golkar deputy chief Siti Hardijanti Rukmana closed the
discussion by listing challenges which lie ahead. These include
social and economic gaps, economic empowerment for people, human
resource development and the quest for democratization and
openness.
"In order to meet those challenges, Indonesia has to develop
its human resources in such a way as to enable them to meet
physical and spiritual needs, help them be more devout," she
said.
"Those challenges will be overcome if all of our actions are
meant as worship while benefiting other people."
Golkar secretary general Ary Mardjono said the party would
campaign to have the meeting's conclusions included in the
drafting of the Broad Guidelines of State Policy.
Golkar's concepts included economic development focused on
cooperation between small-scale and major entrepreneurs.
The ruling political organization will also fight for
compulsory education and amendments to outdated laws, Ary said.
(swe)