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Jakarta Post

It’s time to bring an end to border dilemmas

In December, I attended an exhibition organized by the National Border Management Agency (BNPP) in Jakarta

I Made Andi Arsana (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Mon, February 6, 2012

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It’s time to bring an end to border dilemmas

I

n December, I attended an exhibition organized by the National Border Management Agency (BNPP) in Jakarta. It is not often one has the chance to see such a show.

The BNPP is considered a relatively young institution in Indonesia, as it was formed in 2008 with the enactment of the National Territory Law. The agency was established to foster a new approach for border management in Indonesia that would focus less on “standing guard” and more on figuring out how to ensure national prosperity.

There were many exhibits from different institutions, mainly from local governments in border areas. Participants tried their best to showcase their potential, mainly economic-related. Some touted traditional cuisine, while others promoted their potential for mining or tourism businesses.

One important thing I observed was that infrastructure requires improvement. It does not matter how aggressive local governments are in promoting their potential to attract investors. The results may not be satisfactory without improved infrastructure, such as road networks and public facilities.

Border areas in Indonesia, we must admit, are neglected and ignored areas.

The exhibition might not have instantly lured investors to open businesses in border areas, but it certainly enhanced awareness on the importance of border areas to Indonesia.

The exhibition reminded me of a visit to Niagara Falls, on the US/Canadian border. I first saw the waterfall from the US side, in New York, and had a great time. People standing on the New York side of the Niagara River can easily notice how advanced development is in Canada.

Similar development in New York State could also easily be witnessed from the Canadian side. Put simply, the US/Canadian border is not a forgotten backyard for either nation. It seems to me that each side is competing to develop the territory along its borders.

The situation is different when it comes to Indonesia. In Kalimantan, where Indonesia shares a border with Malaysia, development has yet to be enhanced. From media reports we know that the availability of
infrastructure remains the main issue that people who live on the border face.

Meanwhile, on the Malaysian side of the border, the government provides better services and facilities to its citizens. This can be confirmed by parties on both sides of the fence when it comes to the availability and quality of public facilities, especially roads.

It is therefore understandable that Indonesian citizens in Kalimantan take advantage of the availability of good services on the other side of the fence. Healthcare and communications are two services that the Indonesian government has failed to develop for its residents in the area.

The use of products or facilities made by other countries is, in fact, not an issue exclusively faced by people residing in border areas.

No doubt, Indonesians living in big cities also use foreign products and facilities. It is not hard to see how dependent city people are on foreign goods. Fashion and lifestyle might be the most obvious areas.

However, the stories of urban and border residents are completely different. Indonesian citizens living in border areas using Malaysian hospitals can easily become the subject of news headlines, but Indonesian artists seeking medical treatment in Singapore is just another story of the day.

People in border areas who watch foreign television programs can spark a question of nationalism, while city people can watch HBO every day with pride. Not fair? Not true: that is how, in fact, things work.

This all shows how sensitive things can be when it is associated with border issues. The government must have realized this. Now is the time for action. Expectations are high that the BNPP will make all these good ideas happen. The exhibition should not end up as just another costly event. An exhibition is surely a good start but it will not do much if it unless it is followed by good programs.

Making sure that infrastructure is available is the first priority, without which investment may only be a dream. Without adequate investment, consequently, economic development is questionable.

The approach for building infrastructure in border areas should certainly be different from that in well-established regions. Economic benefits or returns on investment should not be the only considerations in starting an infrastructure project. Otherwise, no infrastructure will be realized, since atypical economic feasibility study might not suggest the potential for any development.

There are good people at the BNPP with an understanding of border management.

However, people certainly want to see how the BNPP can transform its understanding into something that can benefit people who live in border areas.

Border residents might not understand how the coordination of a border marker is done or how complicated border demarcation is.

One thing they do know, however, is that they want good healthcare, good schools for their kids, and well-built roads to travel.

They need the government to end border dilemmas they have faced for years. They want to feel that the government is present when they need. They want easy-to-access services — as easy as crossing the fence, where things can be had with much less difficulty.

The writer is lecturer at the geodetic engineering department at Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta

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