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