By: Masayu Yulien Vinanda

Jakarta (17/10)-Economic and social imbalance occurred in Kalimantan border area has emerged many concerns. One of them came from an official with the Ministry of Forestry's Directorate of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation Haryadi  Himawan. Met in the workshop titled “Building Indonesia in Kalimantan Border Area” in Borobudur Hotel, Jakarta, Saturday (17/10), Haryadi mentioned the importance of forming a specific institution to manage the border area development.
Economic and cultural decline in border area shouldn’t have occurred since it has high socio-cultural potential. For instance, its local art and culture, agricultural products, 4 National Parks, and Heart of Borneo (upper course of Kalimantan long rivers)
Besides developing infrastructure and promoting ecotourism, Haryadi also emphasized the urgent need to form a specific institution to manage the border area.
“The institution should have power and play role as facilitator. It has to be able to empower, build capacity for all functionaries in the border area and the regencies. It facilitates addressing issues in the border area. It should have power,” Haryadi added.
According to Haryadi, the institution consists of those who have power of the same level of State Minister. The institution is a kind of a Development Acceleration Agency for the Border Area which is responsible to the President. This proposal will also be included in one of the recommendation points regarding sustainable development in Kalimantan Border Area which will be proposed to the elected Indonesia President for the period of 2009-2014.
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