Human resources the key to development: Ginandjar

SERPONG, West Java (JP): State Minister for National Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita predicts that over the next 25 years human resources will replace natural resources as the main asset in economic development.

"The most important factor will no longer be the muscles but the brain, or the sciences we master," he told the Sixth Congress on Science here.

"Therefore, the role of scientists will become increasingly crucial for developing the future we long for," he said.

Ginandjar acknowledged that Indonesia, hampered by a lack of skilled human resources, still lags far behind most other countries, even among the ASEAN countries, in the field of science and technology.

He argued, however, that financial support for science and technology development had not been small, as shown by the 30 percent annual increase in the state budget allocations for science and technology development, which reached Rp 1.18 trillion (US$531 million) in the current fiscal year.

Even though government spending on science and technology is only about 0.25 percent of the gross domestic product, which is lower than the 0.5-1 percent recommended by UNESCO, the total might exceed 0.5 percent of GDP if spending by the private sector and state companies were included, he said.

"What is puzzling my mind is not the size of the budget allocations but rather how effective the use of those budget appropriations has been," Ginandjar said.

He said the government had set the target of spending on science and technology at two percent of GDP by the end of the second stage of the Long-term (25-year) Development Plan in the year 2019.

But funding is only one aspect of the development of science and technology, he said. Of no less importance is the application of the most appropriate strategy.

Ginandjar suggested that scientists devote most of their attention to research on issues and needs which directly affect the interests of the general public.

"Innovations are motivated mostly by knowledge to fulfill real needs and to solve real problems," he said.

Ginandjar said there were three preconditions for the stimulation of creativity crucial to making innovations: an education system which is designed to produce a creative society; an environment that highly rewards creative and successful people; and an atmosphere which respects diversity, a high sense of tolerance and responsible freedom of thought.

Earlier in his remarks, Ginandjar made some predictions about the kind of society Indonesian would be in 2019. Among them:

* The seven percent annual economic growth target during the next 25 years will develop the country into a US$980 billion market or $2 trillion in terms of the purchasing power parity.

* Manufacturing industry will account for more than one third of GDP and around 65 percent or 155 million of the total population will live in urban areas.

* A majority of the rural community will have at least nine years of education and will therefore be more skilled in reading market signals and be very aware of the benefits of technology. At the same time, the size of the middle class will increase, thereby generating stronger pressure for a higher pace of democratization.

* As the people are increasingly exposed to western science and technology, which are inherently loaded with western values, the people's way of thinking and way of life will also be influenced increasingly by western standards with regard to assessing the quality of democracy, human rights and other aspects of the political life in Indonesia. (vin)