Editorial

Funding delays have set back the development of everything from schools to ports. (Photo: Jurnasyanto Sukarno, JG)

Too Much Dawdling Over Infrastructure

That only 2 percent of the Rp 12.2 trillion ($1.18 billion) allocated to infrastructure under the government’s stimulus package had been disbursed by the end of May 2009 is not surprising given past experience. It is nonetheless shocking given the urgency of upgrading the country’s creaking infrastructure.

The excuses, too, have not changed. Bureaucratic red tape, new tender procedures and inefficiencies have stymied the disbursement of funds for a host of projects, from highways, power plants and ports to the vital upgrading of schools, hospitals and public markets.

Given the sorry state of the nation’s infrastructure, it is no secret that execution is the weak link in our ability to undertake large public projects. It is also widely accepted that without new infrastructure, the economy will not grow at a faster rate and Indonesia will be left clutching at the coattails of countries such as China and India. If our economy is to grow at 7 percent per annum or more, the government must accelerate its infrastructure program.

This is, ultimately, about quality of life. A faster growing economy will lift millions out of poverty, create a larger middle class and stop the spread of militancy and terrorism. If our young people see a brighter future for themselves and are able to secure good paying jobs, they will be less attracted to militant groups.

The arrest of two terrorism suspects in Central Java over the weekend is clear evidence that the problem of violent militancy has not gone away and that the police and security forces need to stay alert. The government must create an environment where terrorist groups have no appeal to young people and the poor, and no basis to recruit new members to the cause.

This means infrastructure also has a national security dimension. The more we are able to expand our economy, the more secure we all will be.

The government has promised to expedite and remove bottlenecks that have held back the infrastructure development program. We sincerely hope that it is true to its word.

At the end of the day, the key issue is leadership management. Competent management and proper execution have been the main stumbling blocks in the country’s push to speed up economic development. Management is a science and it can be learned. Countries once seen as backward, such as China, have made great strides in management and there is no reason why Indonesia cannot do the same.

Once we understand the science of management, we will be able to achieve more. It sounds simple but it takes a genuine commitment to the future economic and human security of our people. We must learn to develop our country systematically without getting tangled up in red tape at every turn.