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Fresh list of plans, priorities for Indonesia

Source
Jakarta Globe - February 19, 2010

Camelia Pasandaran & Anita Rachman – Though reviews have been mixed regarding the success of the government's first-100-days program, a new set of 11 priorities to "accelerate national development" this year was announced on Friday, and backed up with a hefty Rp 114 trillion ($12.2 billion) budget.

Based on a presidential instruction signed on Thursday, the strategy, announced by cabinet members at the Vice Presidential Palace on Friday, comprises a total of 115 action plans, all aimed at supporting President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's overarching goals for 2014: accelerate economic growth to reach 7 percent in 2014, reduce poverty and increase the people's welfare, and strengthen democracy and law enforcement.

Joko Suyanto, who heads the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, said he would focus on programs dealing with antiterrorism, managing regional autonomy, harmonizing regulations, putting up a single identity number for more than 300 districts, and eradicating corruption.

"In the case of terrorism, it is important to change the mind-set," he said. "The approach will be more preventive than simply waiting for the problem and then solving it, such as forming a coordinating body to prevent terrorism as a continuation of the old antiterror desk."

The new priorities do not include the eradication of the judicial mafia – those involved in bribery, blackmail, the fixing of lawsuits and the intimidation of witnesses – which topped the government's first 100-days program.

The president created the Judicial Mafia Eradication Task Force, which has since made headlines by uncovering luxurious prison cells enjoyed by monied convicts and indications of corruption involving the investigation of the PT Asian Agri tax-evasion case.

Under the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy, led by Hatta Rajasa, there are six priorities with 83 action plans. Among them are carrying out the second stage of the food self-sufficiency initiative; accelerating infrastructure development, including linking districts and provinces; improving the investment and business climate; energy security; and empowering less-developed, outlying and post-conflict regions.

"The first priority is food self-sufficiency and food security," Hatta said. "The president set up a revitalization plan for food self-sufficiency by 2008. Now comes the second wave, with clear targets for staple food self-sufficiency. The plan is to increase food production, revitalize the food industry and improve nutrition."

The programs under the Coordinating Ministry for People's Welfare include ensuring access to education, providing cash aid to public health centers and eradicating poverty with the use of family-based aid.

The Presidential Working Unit for Development Supervision and Control (UKP4) will monitor the development of all programs. "The president's instructions are very detailed, measurable and will be well monitored by the UKP4," said Lukita Dinarsyah Tuo, deputy minister for national development planning.

Lukita said Rp 92 trillion of the Rp 114 trillion set aside for the program will come from the 2010 budget, while Rp 22.3 trillion will be taken from the revised budget.

Not everyone, however, was sold on the government's new priorities.

Ikrar Nusa Bakti, a political analyst at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), said Yudhoyono should have focused on completing unfinished programs, such as the eradication of the judicial mafia, which he had previously listed as his No.1 priority. "His term hasn't reached 130 days, but now he's setting new programs," Ikrar said. "I think he just talks more than acts."

The new priorities

1. Bureaucracy reform and management
2. Education
3. Health
4. Poverty eradication
5. Food self-sufficiency
6. Infrastructure development
7. Investment and business climate
8. Energy
9. Environment and disaster management
10. Empowering less-developed, outlying and post-conflict regions
11. Culture, creativity and technology innovation

Key 100-Day Priorities

1. Eradicate the 'judicial mafia'
2. Revitalize defense industry
3. Eradicate terrorism
4. Electricity generation
5. Food production and security

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