Lampung's west coast

Lampung's west coast

From Media Indonesia

On behalf of the community living on the west coast of
Lampung, we are eager to receive the attention of the central
executive board of the dominant Golkar. We are convinced that
Golkar's central executive board will be able to strive for
development undertakings in Indonesia's western regions,
particularly the west coast of Sumatra, including Lampung's west
coast, which is populated by some 200,000 people.

During colonial times, the western coastal area of Lampung
formed part of Bengkulu region, which used to be a British
colony, and later fell into the hands of the Dutch in exchange
for the Singapore island as stipulated in the Tractat van London
(the London Treaty) of 1825. During the period of British rule,
this area was a trade hub. The British constructed the harbor of
Krui and stationed an administration head called controleur.

The 250 kilometer-long western coastal area of Lampung, which
incorporates the southern coastal area of Bengkulu, is
geographically an area of its own, separated from the rest by
South Bukit Barisan National Park. During colonial times, the
harbor of Krui served as a trade gateway. Called Afdeling Kroe by
colonial rulers, this commercial area became a district after the
proclamation of Indonesian independence.

Ironically, there has been little development of Krui harbor
since the establishment of the New Order administration. The
district administration has been abolished and Krui has been
relegated in its status from a district town to a subdistrict
town. The aspirations of the Krui community to see the western
coastal area of Lampung declared an autonomous region of a
district/second-level region have failed to materialize.
Likewise, the wish to have a trans-Sumatra state road along the
western side of the island has until now been haltingly
expressed.

The trans-Sumatra road along the western side of the island
from Bandarlampung to Bengkulu through Kota Agung -- Biha -- Krui
has not been completed although construction began 17 years ago.
Four general elections have passed since then (1982, 1987, 1992,
1997).

Socioeconomic gaps are also evident in the region, which is
not accessible to the bureaucracy of development. According to
data at a local subdistrict office, the majority of people living
in villages in the western coastal area of Lampung are
categorized as "backward". Eighty-seven percent of them are
recipients of government financial aid on the basis of a
presidential instruction on backward villages.

We are eagerly awaiting attention from Golkar's central
executive board to this poor region. We are sure that such
figures as Bung Harmoko, Mbak Tutut, Bung Abdul Gafur, Bung Agung
Laksono and others can certainly help translate into reality our
aspirations that the western coastal area of Lampung can be made
a district/second-level autonomous region, that the state road
along the western side of the island (Bandarlampung -- Bengkulu
through Kota Agung -- Biha -- Krui -- Bintuhan) and that Krui
harbor is revived for the transportation of Baturaja cement and
Bukit Asam coal.

If this region could achieve progress during colonial times
and in the Old Order era, why should it be isolated in the New
Order era when development undertakings are being intensified?

AZHAR SAN0I

Krui, Lampung