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)