Sarwono's lead
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.