Indonesia loses family planning advocate
By Prijono Tjiptoherjanto
JAKARTA (JP): The country lost one of its best sons with the death of noted demographer Prof. Masri Singarimbun on Sept. 25 at the age of 66.
Singarimbun devoted his time and energy to popularizing demography -- still an odd discipline to both lay people and academics in this nation a few years ago -- particularly in its use for family planning programs.
The impact of his death is compounded when one realizes that family planning, the goal he strived for all his life, is now a reality.
Most Indonesians, even those in the remotest parts of the country, have adopted the small family norm. Singarimbun's only unfinished task is ensuring the welfare of these families.
In the 1970s, the government decided to use planned parenthood to cut the high population growth rate, brought about by the baby boom of the 1950s. Amid dire Malthusian predictions about the future, Singarimbun took the initiative in promoting use of condoms, then very unpopular as a contraceptive method.
He persevered in his efforts and this contributed to the government bringing the growth rate under control.
The government awarded him the Cipta Karya medal of merit in 1995 in recognition of his achievements. But he never expected anything in return for what he did as part of his dedication to science and his own people.
He was a volunteer for the Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association (PKBI), a non-governmental organization set up in 1957 which later became the National Family Planning Coordinating Board (BKKBN). He remained active in the organization until the end of his life.
In 1973, Singarimbun established the Center for Population Research and Studies (PPSK) at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, another notable feat. This institution, now called the Center for Population Research (PPK-UGM), is an offshoot of the Institute of Demography of the School of Economics, University of Indonesia, Jakarta (LD-FEUI).
The latter was set up in 1964 by Widjojo Nitisastro, then dean of the school, N. Iskandar, the late Kartomo Wirosuhardjo and Kartono Gunawan.
PPK-UGM, which Singarimbun headed for a decade after its founding, has contributed to human resources development in the nation's eastern regions. Demographic researchers and scientists trained at this institute can now be found across the country.
It has developed into a center of excellence in demographic research and contributed input to the government's family planning and manpower policies.
Singarimbun also had a keen interest in the fate of the economically disadvantaged long before poverty eradication became a popular cause. He collaborated with his counterpart from the Australian National University, D.H. Penny, in writing a book on the lives of poor people in Srihardjo village, Yogyakarta.
Their description of what poverty constitutes to villagers with meager income has greatly influenced scientists and policymakers alike.
Sayogyo drew from the work in devising his poverty line standard. Singarimbun's views and ideas must have undoubtedly influenced the present fight against poverty in the government- sponsored program based on presidential instructions No. 5/1993 and No. 3/1996.
Iskandar had developed his expertise in population projection, now generally considered a trademark of LD-FEUI. But Singarimbun devoted himself more to the application of the demographic science, useful to policymakers and also strongly associated with PSK-UGM.
Singarimbun's sincere dedication to the development of science, particularly demographic science, will live on. His fighting spirit, always imbued with optimism, will continue to inspire his colleagues, young and old.
His sense of humor is unforgettable to volunteers in non- governmental organizations, particularly PKBI. His modesty and honesty should be a mirror to all of us as we face a difficult time fraught with uncertainty, arrogance and materialistic idolatry.
The writer is former chairman of LD-FEUI (1984-1988) and currently deputy chairman of the national governing board of PKBI for the 1997-2000 period.