Border Areas Should Not Be Left Behind With Malaysia, BRIN Talks About Development

The Mota Ain Cross-Border Post (PLBN) in Belu Regency, NTT borders Timor Leste. (ANTARA/Kornelis Kaha)

JAKARTA - R Siti Zuhro, Professor of Research in Politics and Government, said that the development of border areas is important.

According to him, development in border areas needs to be improved so as not to lag behind neighboring countries, namely Malaysia.

"The problem is how the development and security in border areas can be significantly improved so that these regions do not lag behind neighboring countries," said Siti in the Prof Talks Webinar: Building Indonesia from the Border in Jakarta, Tuesday, March 29, citing Antara.

Siti Zuhro said that improving the quality of development in border areas is important because the border area is a very strategic area and is at the forefront of Indonesia's defense of the country's sovereignty and reflects the success of national development.

This means that threats to an area or an island in the border area of Indonesia are also a threat to the integrity and sovereignty of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) such as the problem between protectionist and transnational capitalist interests.

Siti Zuhro said that border areas really need special attention, not only as part of the government's commitment to create prosperity and a sense of security, but also to build people to be more educated, mature and able to be independent in overcoming problems.

Border areas must also be able to obtain maximum public services. Siti Zuhro said the state must be present in accordance with the mandate of the constitution to foster, protect, build and develop border areas.

"If these tattered border areas haven't shown what their faces are like, they must be taken seriously," he said.

Therefore, it is hoped that innovations and new breakthroughs will emerge from researchers as recommendations for the government to develop Indonesia, especially border areas as the face or front guard of Indonesia in order to maintain national integration or the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia.