Megawati criticizes excavation projects
Megawati criticizes excavation projects
Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Jakartans have become accustomed to annoying excavation
projects along the city roads, either for telephone lines, water
pipelines or electricity cables.
Apparently the grumbling does not only come from ordinary
citizens. Even President Megawati Soekarnoputri has noticed it.
"I have raised the (excavation) issue many times with the
Minister ... could there be more coordination in the excavation
projects?," Megawati asked during an informal meeting with former
Kalpataru Award winners at the State Palace.
The award is given to those who display excellence in
preserving the natural environment.
"One can observe that they dig today, fill in the excavation
on the next day, and dig again ... all at the same spot," she
said.
Unfortunately, Minister of Resettlement and Regional
Infrastructure Soenarno could only answer the president by saying
that each project involved different contractors, who did not
usually coordinate with each another.
The minister of transportation, who also supervises certain
aspects of the telecommunications sector, and the minister of
energy and mineral resources, who is charged with supervision of
electricity projects, were not present at the meeting.
When confronted by Megawati, Soenarno was unable to give an
adequate explanation, other than to blame it on conflicting
projects. There was no mention about the need for pipe
installation projects to be more coordinated.
"As a country with many expert human resources, we should be
able to be more precise in coordinating plans and programs in all
sectors," Megawati commented.
Many residents, both in the capital and the outskirts, have
complained about the projects.
"The sidewalk along the road near my residential area was
potholed because the contractor didn't cover it over properly
after excavating it for the telephone lines. It is inconvenient
for pedestrians walking along the road, as they must avoid the
mud during the rainy season."
"The work took place only two months after the road had been
excavated by electricity company PLN," complained Benny, a
residence of Citra Raya housing complex in Tangerang.
The project has also caused at least one fatality, as a
pedestrian was found dead in a telephone line excavation in
Bekasi earlier this month due to the slippery road.
In the wider scope, Megawati also criticized the bureaucrats'
sluggish attitude to make direct observations in their related
fields, which has caused the country's development to become
stagnant.
In order for the bureaucrats to gain a thorough comprehension
on the issues surrounding the people, Megawati said they ought to
shed their formal ceremonial ways and begin meeting regularly
with the people.
"The bureaucrats are too lazy to go meet the people," Megawati
said.
"I call on them to go see the situation in the field.. don't
ever expect environmental problems to be solved when the
bureaucrats are only conducting ceremonial meetings," she said.
She gave an example of the diminishing Indonesian forest
despite large amounts of reforestation funds allocated to the
Department of Forestry.
"When discussing the (reforestation projects), everyone (the
bureaucrats) remains silent," she said, adding that the people,
with the support of the bureaucrats, could be working together in
preserving natural resources.
"We have witnessed for many years how the reforestation
projects clash with mining, farming, irrigation and
infrastructure projects," she added.
During the New Order era, reforestation funds were often used
for other purposes for example, the Dirgantara Indonesia, which
used to be called National Aircraft Industry (IPTN), and to
organize the Southeast Asian Games.