Scholars criticize development strategies

Scholars criticize development strategies

JAKARTA (JP): Observers yesterday criticized flaws in the
current development strategy with its focus on economic growth,
and called for changes to be made.

Senior journalist Jakob Oetama of the Kompas daily, economists
Sri Edi Swasono and Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti, Adi Sasono of the
Center for Information and Development Studies (CIDES) yesterday
said development should side with and empower people.

They were speaking at the launch of Development for People:
Combining Growth and Equal Distribution, a compilation of
articles written by Minister of National Development
Planning/Chairman of the National Development Planning Board
Ginandjar Kartasasmita.

The current economic development strategy has brought rapid
economic growth but has not done well in the question of
distribution. Instead, it has delivered bigger social-economic
gaps, unemployment, poverty and under-development, they said.

"Economic growth is not the only model of development,"
Ginandjar said, arguing that a development strategy should
include equal distribution.

Development should also empower people, Ginandjar said. The
current development strategies are paternalistic and patronizing
and reduce people's participation in the economic development
process, he said.

"Empowering people is a must," he said.

He said there are four basic problems that development
address: limited employment opportunities, poverty, social-
economic gaps and under-development. "The four problems reflect
injustice. And this runs counter to humanistic values," he added.

Jakob Oetama said Ginandjar's ideas on development had strong
humanistic values.

He praised the concepts of combining growth and equal
distribution. "These two dimensions of Ginandjar's development
strategy should be the focus of our national development," he
said.

Jakob lauded the writings which he said stressed justice as
the essence of equal distribution.

Adi Sasono, director of CIDES which published the book,
praised Ginandjar's book that Adi says shows him to be a
nationalist and a populist.

"Ginandjar has courageously taken social and political risks
with his present position," said Adi. "If he was not a soldier
and bureaucrat, he could have been a non-governmental
organization activist."

Sri Edi Swasono said justice should be the starting point in
economic development strategies, not the goal.

Justice is for people and we should object to policies which
victimize people. (05)