The problem of inequity

It was interesting to hear one observer, Juwono Sudarsono, offer the view that inequities will continue to exist in Indonesia for the coming 10 to 15 years. If that estimate is correct, it would mean that at least one more decade is needed to attain social justice for all. That is not a short period.

The question that arises now is: Will we really be able to surmount this problem in 10 to 15 years? To judge by current development, one may have reason for pessimism because national development efforts at present have been unable to satisfy the needs of the lowest strata of our society.

It must be admitted that the government has in the last few years introduced a number of policies that have made it possible for the industry and services sectors to grow at an impressive pace. Ironically, growth in agriculture has been sluggish. The existing reality is that much agricultural land is being used for industrial development. Farmers live in increasing poverty as they no longer possess land. A similar fate is suffered by our fishermen, who must toil for a living with limited means.

A high cost economy continues to prevail, even in the western parts of Indonesia, because the various deregulation measures are often not put into practice. Aside from these constraints, inequity is also a product of harmful practices such as corruption, manipulation, collusion, monopoly and oligopoly, all of which are most damaging to the common people.

In view of all this, private business should lend its support to the various measures that have been taken to bridge this inequity. Nevertheless, given the huge disparities that exist between the eastern and western parts of Indonesia, between the rich and the poor in the big cities, and between the pace of development in industry and agriculture, it is quite reasonable to question whether this inequity will really last for only 10 or 15 more years.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta