Sarwono's lead

When State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja declared the other day that Indonesia will phase out leaded gasoline by 1999, his statement, in spite of President Soeharto's backing, appears to have fallen on deaf ears. This can be seen from the cold response, if any was perceived at all, from society.

A commitment to comply from Pertamina, the state oil monopoly, was not forthcoming. Similarly, the automotive industry, another crucial player if this project is to get off the ground, is not committing itself to anything. Other government agencies that are supposed to enforce the policy have not made any kind of response at all. Consumers, as usual, are being apathetic.

But then, we have seen this reaction time and again whenever the Office of the State Minister of Environment makes a move which could upset the current status quo, no matter how noble the intention is. We saw the same inertia when it warned of the hazards of arbitrarily cutting tropical rain forests, of river pollution, of building in areas reserved for water catchment, of using ozone-depleting substances, and other premonitions about society's failure to conserve nature's delicate ecological balance.

These all show that environmental awareness among people in this country is appallingly low. Nobody wants to pay for the costs of conserving the environment if they can help it, and everybody wants to pass the buck to others, chiefly to future generations.

Some of the tragedies associated with environmental neglect are already occurring here, and we are already paying a high price for them. The major floods that wreaked havoc in Jakarta this year are but a foretaste of worse things to come, unless we act now.

Indonesia's slow switch to unleaded gasoline is already taking a toll on the health of the people, particularly children, in urban centers. One estimate puts Jakarta's annual health costs related to airborne lead at Rp 140 billion (US$60 million). The cost is obviously not sufficiently high to prompt action, and the 1999 deadline Sarwono has set is likely to be ignored.

If the warnings and policy directives churned out from Sarwono's office are being consistently ignored until disaster strikes, we ought to question the effectiveness of his office. It has had the privilege of being run by as eloquent and persuasive ministers as Sarwono and his predecessor Emil Salim. But the office lacks teeth because, as the leader is only a state minister, its role is one of coordinating rather than enforcing.

They have no influence over Pertamina, which owes its allegiance to the Ministry of Mines and Energy, and the automotive industry, which looks to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Neither of them feel any obligation to comply with Sarwono's directives unless their patrons in the government say so.

Given the urgency of environmental conservation efforts in this country, it is now time to rethink the role assigned to Sarwono's office. Perhaps turning it into a full ministry, and certainly giving it greater clout, are two answers.

Also important in any environmental conservation drive is the government's political will. In the case of removing lead from gasoline, where unfortunately politics and big business prevail over common sense, a major political will is required from the government and from us all.

Sarwono has taken the lead on the issue. Now it is up to everyone else -- other government agencies, business and consumers -- to take the lead out of gasoline.