ISPA Morowali Prevalence Skyrockets Imbas Downstream

JAKARTA - S3 students from the Stratejik and Global Studies Schools at the University of Indonesia (UI) Bahlil Lahadalia revealed interesting facts related to the impact of downstreaming carried out in the area around Morowali.

Through its dissertation entitled Policy, Institution, and Governance of Fair and Sustainable Nickel Downstreaming in Indonesia, Bahlil showed that downstreaming had a negative impact on the health of the community around the industrial area.

Based on the data presented, the prevalence of Acute Respiratory Channel Infection (ARI) in Central Sulawesi, especially in Morowali, has reached 54 percent due to downstreaming carried out in the Indonesian Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) environment.

"I have to say this, ISPA's health in Central Sulawesi, especially in Morowali, is 54 percent affected. Meanwhile in Central Halmahera, it is much better," said Bahlil at the Doctoral Promotion Open Session at Makara Art UI, quoted Thursday, October 17.

Bahlil said that in fact there was no one to blame for the skyrocketing prevalence rate of the ARI because downstreaming was a new thing to do in Indonesia, so there must be a shortage that must be a lesson to take policies in the future.

"We can't blame why in Morowali it's like this because this is a new item. We've been talking about downstreaming, downstreaming, downstreaming, but no one has dared to do it yet," said Bahlil.

The results of a study conducted by Bahlil Lahadalia in the doctoral study in the field of Stratejik Glonal Studies show that four main problems from the impact of downstreaming require policy adjustments.

The four problems are injustice of regional transfer funds, minimal involvement of regional entrepreneurs, limited participation of Indonesian companies in the downstream sector with high added value, and no post-mining diversification plans.

As researcher Bahlil Lahadalia also emphasized the importance of establishing a Task Force that could orchestrate the implementation of downstream policy to be more effective.

"The agency needs to have a mandate from the president so that it is authorized to coordinate all parties, both the government and business actors and mobilize resources to make downstream a success," said Bahlil.