Development Continuity Must Be Maintained

The 2025-2045 National Long-Term Development Plan (RPJPN) is expected to act as a guideline for all policymakers, whether from the central or regional governments.

FAKHRI FADLURROHMAN

Minister of National Development Planning (PPN)/ Head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Suharso Monoarfa in the middle of the Bappenas Forum Group Discussion in collaboration with Kompas Daily at the Santika Hayam Wuruk Hotel, West Jakarta, Monday (29/5/2023). Bappenas together with Kompas Daily held a Forum Group Discussion (FGD) with the theme Vision of Indonesia 2045 and the Hope of Realizing a Sovereign, Advanced and Sustainable Archipelago.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – Indonesia’s aspiration to become a high-income country when it celebrates its centenary has often been overshadowed by the uncertainty of changes in political constellations and regimes. For the sake of development continuity toward Golden Indonesia 2045, the government plans to ensure the draft bill for the 2025-2045 National Long-Term Development Plan (RPJPN) is more binding.

The 2025-2045 RPJPN bill is currently being drafted by the government under the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas). It is planned that the House of Representatives will soon deliberate the bill and pass it in September 2023, before registration opens for presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

National Development Planning Minister/Bappenas head Suharso Monoarfa, in a closed discussion on Indonesia’s 2045 Vision held by Kompas and Bappenas on Monday (29/5/2023), said that the 2025-2045 RPJPN was expected to act as a guideline for all policymakers, whether from the central or regional governments. “The President hopes that this RPJPN can be used as a guideline for future presidential, vice-presidential and regional head candidates,” said Suharso.

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Generally, the RPJPN bill contains five goals of Golden Indonesia 2045, namely achieving per-capita income equivalent to developed countries; eliminating poverty and reducing inequality; increased international leadership and influence; increased competitiveness of human resources; and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Suharo is aware that these targets and goals will be difficult to achieve if there is no continuity in development planning. This is because no existing laws mandate the next administration to continue the development efforts of the previous administration. Hence, the government plans to include a more binding clause or article in the RPJPN bill to guarantee this.

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

Landscape of the construction of section 2 of the Serpong-Cinere Toll Road, Pamulang-Cinere, in the Limo area, Depok, West Java, Sunday (28/5/2023). The 3.65 kilometer Pamulang-Cinere Toll Road is targeted to operate this year.

Not only read

“We are thinking about how to make the RPJPN law a normative directive for officials at all levels so that the RPJPN is not only read as an appeal but can also encourage more convergent development,” Suharso said.

One suggestion is to prepare disincentives to presidents, vice presidents and regional heads that do not prepare a five-year work plan in accordance with the RPJPN. “Perhaps in this RPJPN, we will include an article that regulates sanctions, such as fiscal incentives or disincentives,” he said.

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Andreas Hugo Pareira, a senior politician from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), agreed that there should be a more binding clause for the elected president and vice president in the RPJPN. “I suggest that the RPJPN contain the sentence ‘must guarantee the continuity of national development’ and include sanctions,” said Andreas.

Atma Jaya Catholic University rector Agustinus Prasetyantoko also argued that the development programs run by the government in the last two periods are important and must be continued regardless of the changing political constellations.

According to Prasetyantoko, infrastructure development must be continued so that it becomes a long-term investment rather than a cost burden. The same applies to downstreaming and industrialization to encourage quality economic growth that can create more jobs.

Leaving the trap

Our economic capital must shift from resource-based growth to productivity-led growth.

Bappenas economics deputy Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti said that Indonesia’s economic growth had thus far remained in the range of 5 percent, meaning Indonesia is still trapped as a middle-income country. To leave this trap, Amalia said, Indonesia must boost its economic growth to 6-7 percent.

“For that, economic transformation is important. Our economic capital must shift from resource-based growth to productivity-led growth. We compiled this in the initial draft of the 2025-2045 RPJPN,” Amalia said.

National thinker Yudi Latif added that national development must not be separated from the implementation of Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution, namely in realizing an independent, united, sovereign, just and prosperous nation.

This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia.