Socioeconomic Development Planning System at the National Level

The socioeconomic development planning system at the national level in Indonesia consists of a 20-year national long-term development plan and a five-year development plan, the latter of which comprises a national medium-term development plan and yearly implantation plan. The development plans fall under the authority of the National Development Planning Agency (BAPPENAS).

The duration of the current national long-term development plan (Law No. 17/2007) is from 2005 to 2025, and that of the medium-term plan (Presidential Regulation No. 7/2005) is from 2004 to 2009.

The long-term development plan functions to outlines the vision, mission, and direction of development policies for a 20-year period. The medium-term development plan is presented by the President of Indonesia, who is chosen by the people in direct elections, shortly after he or she takes office. This plan reflects the president’s vision for national development strategy, macroeconomic framework, and priority policy goals he or she wishes to achieve in the five-year period. (Consideration is also given to compatibility with the long-term development plan).

Spatial Planning System at the National Level

Spatial plans in Indonesia first gained a legal basis with the passage of Law No. 24 of 1992 (Spatial Planning Act). The act was amended in 2007 in the context of decentralization, urbanization, and other factors (Law No.26/2007). The current national spatial plan, which was enacted with Law No. 26/2008 on Spatial Planning, covers a 20-year period, but is to be reviewed every five years. The organization responsible for drafting the plan was the National Spatial Planning Coordination Board, which was chaired by the Coordinating Minister for the Economy. The board's offices were set up in the National Development Planning Agency (BAPPENAS) and headed by BAPPENAS's director. The Directorate General of Spatial Planning of the Ministry of Public Works was charged with handling the practical implementation of the board's plan.

The plan includes guidelines for effective and efficient planning processes to achieve the stated objectives of the plan. There is a strategic development framework for the purposes of creating a national land strategy. The framework seeks to achieve security, economic viability, and sustainability in the use of land in this archipelagic country, in addition to national cohesiveness and stability.

The Planned Development of the Jakarta Metropolitan Area

All of the local governments in the greater Jakarta metropolitan area (called Jabodetabekpunjur, a name derived from the constituent areas) came together in 1971 to form a cooperative organ, which eventually became the Jabodetabekpunjur Development Cooperation Board. Since then, the board has been engaged in the planned development of the metropolitan area.

Jabodetabekjur is a conglomeration that creates plans which place emphasis on the unity of the metropolitan area, the optimal use of space in it, the coordination of the spatial plans of the local governments, the sharing basic data on spatial use, roadmaps with a view to the future use of spaces, the designation of special economic zones, and the social welfare aspects of spatial plans.

In 2008, a Presidential Regulation on Jabodetabekpunjur Region Spatial Planning (No.54/2008) was issued that covers all areas in the metropolis. It is a 20-year plan (to be reviewed every five years). It is being studied as a potential template for plans (medium- and long-term) for the socioeconomic development of Jabodetabekjur.

As local governments were delegated much more power than in the past as a result of the decentralization trend, the balancing the interests of governments within the metropolitan area has become a pressing problem.

Figure:Jabodetabekjur spatial plan

Source: The Directorate General of Spatial Planning of the Ministry of Public Works

Figure:The relationship between development and spatial plans

Source: "Research on Territorial Policies in Foreign Countries", MILT, Japan (2008)

The new Five-year Development Plan

After the second winning of presidency by President Yudhoyono, the National Medium-term Development Plan for 2010-2014 became effective as Presidential Regulation (No.5/2010). The plan serves as the second stage of National Long-term Development Plan (RPJP Nasional; period of 2005-2025) which became effective in 2007, taking over the national vision "fair, prosperous and democratic Indonesia" --- the goal for long-term development plan and other plans --- with the understanding that the nation is at the stage of "enhancing development synergy in various field", and it sets out eleven national prioritized tasks. The fresh point of this plan is that it includes, along with such general and sectoral development policy, development policy of each province organized by Development Planning Council (Musrenbang) which is the body aimed at coordinating development needs from both top-down approach and bottom-up approach.

"Green Space Rules" in Spatial Planning Law

Response to urbanization is one of the important issues in the new Spatial Planning Law (Law No.26/2007) and the law requires spatial plans of the cities to include plans on allocation and usage of green space, network of public transport and foot traffic network and matters related to informal sector (these are not always necessary in spatial plans of the regencies). Also the law stipulates that at least 30% of the area of the city should be secured as green space (park, green path, cemetery, etc.) to which responsible officials seem to be struggling in dealing with the task.