Youths question uneven development
Youths question uneven development
JAKARTA (JP): Participants in the National Youth March,
sharing their impressions on development in various regions with
President Soeharto yesterday, questioned him about the uneven
rate of progress across the provinces.
They referred to their own experience, after visiting various
regions as part of the march program, which this year involved
1,149 youths selected from 27 provinces.
The first Youth March, initiated and chaired by businesswoman
Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, was held in 1990.
In the discussion at the Jakarta Convention Center, a
participant from West Nusa Tenggara said he felt his province had
been left far behind by the other provinces.
"What I saw (during my stay of) 23 days was the wealth of
rubber, coffee and chocolate in North Sumatra...and this is very
great, compared to where I come from.
"We still have many villages funded by the Least-Developed
Village aid program ...It is difficult for young people and
community members to make progress...There are still isolated
villages where planting is only done once a year because of the
lack of rain.
"We are sure that West Nusa Tenggara can become well known
like other regions...It is sad that many people in North Sumatra
do not know about West Nusa Tenggara yet," the participant said.
In response to these statements, Soeharto said that the
impression gained by the youth did not mean that certain regions
had been neglected by the government in its development efforts.
"North Sumatra, because of its strong crop exports, has always
been more advanced compared to many other areas," he said.
Ahmad Lubis, a student from Central Kalimantan, said after his
stay in South Sumatra that he felt development there is
relatively equally distributed.
"There are certain areas which are lagging behind but the
government already has programs for those areas," Lubis said.
A participant from Irian Jaya expressed concern over the
limited number of investors in eastern Indonesia.
"The government has encouraged investors to invest in eastern
Indonesia, but many have refused...They feel my area is very
difficult," he said.
"Investors are only interested in mining, while Irian Jaya has
much more potential, including agriculture and forestry."
Soeharto replied that the government is now emphasizing the
development of infrastructure, such as the construction of the
road from Jayapura to Wamena in Irian Jaya, to attract more
investors to more diverse sectors.
"Since the liberation of Irian Jaya in 1962, it has been
difficult for people in the mountains, who are scattered far from
each other, to progress, as long as they are not brought nearer
to infrastructure," the President said.
Soeharto also spoke of Pancasila democracy, saying that if it
was implemented consistently, there would be no need for voting
to settle differences and disputes.
"If necessary, we must vote...but with the same ideal to
implement deliberation for consensus," he said.
"But if we really understand and implement Pancasila
democracy, voting is unnecessary...It involves the need to
deliberate, to debate ...The argument which most favors our
nation (should be) justified, so the elected (person in an
organization/country) must sacrifice himself to agree with the
larger majority," Soeharto said. (anr)