Kwik Kian Gie Calls The Luxury Toll Road Special For Rich People

Kwik economist Kian Gie who was also known as Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry 1999-2000. (Between)

JAKARTA - President Soeharto and the New Order (Orba) brought rapid developments for Indonesia. Development is perpetuated everywhere. Construction of expressways (often referred to as toll roads), for example. The presence of toll roads is carried out to facilitate the traffic of goods to humans.

All Indonesians admire toll roads. However, not a few have criticized. Kwik Kian Gie economist even said that toll roads are luxury specifically for the rich. In fact, toll roads in Indonesia should be free.

The Imej of the Father of Development pinned in Suharto's name was not a mere empty message. The development of the New Order era was carried out quite massively. In fact, it can outperform development in the Old Order government.

The New Order became a pioneer in the construction of toll roads. The development was perpetuated because Suharto himself was of more interest. He considers the presence of toll roads to facilitate the distribution of goods or human traffic services.

The presence of toll roads can also create a balance between regions. Everything leads to an increase in economic activity. Therefore, Suharto began targeting the construction of toll roads in cities that incidentally showed the development of high economic activity.

The big milestone for the construction of toll roads carried out by the New Order is the construction of the Jagorawi Toll Road (Jakarta, Bogor, and Ciawi). The development became the first as well as a milestone for national development in 1978.

The construction of the Jagorawi toll road is the beginning of the construction of many other toll roads in Indonesia. Especially when traffic jams start to hit big cities in Indonesia. A lot of time and money are wasted due to traffic jams.

Toll roads also appear as alternatives that are managed by self-management. Suharto also tactics to withdraw payments to anyone who wants to enter the toll road. This option is carried out so that the construction and empowerment of toll roads is more optimal. Alias, the New Order government can focus on building other things.

President Suharto once said that when inaugurating the Surabaya-Gempol toll road in July in 1986 the construction of toll roads had to be high quality. Therefore, the cost is very expensive. If all expressways are financed with the state budget, it will be a heavy burden. Limited state budgets can be used to build other things that are needed by the wider community.

And in terms of the construction of roads in areas that have not developed. That way we carry out the principle of justice and equity. Facing such dilemmas is the solution is to implement a toll system on certain roads. So that the construction and maintenance of the road is financed by the users themselves," explained Salman AS in his writing in Dharmasena Magazine entitled Free Barriers as the Facilities for Increasing Kamtibnas (1987).

Instead of just bringing admiration, the presence of toll roads in Indonesia is actually a flood of criticism. Economist, Kwik Kian Gie, for example. He assessed that the steps to build toll roads built by the New Order did not side with the small people.

Kwik considers that the construction of toll roads whose financing is still from the state budget should be used for free. Alias, free of charge. Even if it is paid, the government only collects fees until the government's capital returns. After that the toll road is free.

He reflected on the expressways that exist in various countries. Many of these freeways are also called HIGHway, freeway, autobahn, snelweg. These terms emphasize that the freeway is free.

Miraculously, in Indonesia, toll roads are actually merchandise. In which case, the New Order's goal of upholding social justice through toll roads is to disperse. The government is only looking for profit, while the people targeted are not from small people.

Those who are targeted are limited to the rich. Rich people can travel freely on the freeway as long as they have money. Roughly speaking, toll roads are built to meet the comfort of the wealthy. The narrative is in accordance with the assumption that if you want good road access, pay.

Small people are forced to use other roads. Moreover, small people whose land is acquired for the construction of toll roads. Not necessarily they can enjoy the results of the toll road.

The New Order government should reflect on expressways abroad. There are many expressways there that are free. Even they only apply certain sections to attract fees. Even that with a small amount. The conclusion was drawn that the Indonesian government only built toll roads to quench the thirst of the rich.

Is there no toll road in other countries? Yes, but all of them are only three percent. We can experience for ourselves that in Europe, the US, Australia, Malaysia, China and practically in all countries, using highways are free of charge. For certain sections it does pay toll roads, but the number is very small.

"Why is that? Because toll roads are considered a luxury, which without it can also enjoy smooth and comfortable freeways. That certain sections are provided for paid, because they want to give choices to rich people so that they can be even more delicious, as long as they want to pay for luxury pleasure that has no negative impact on development strategies," explained Kwik Kian Gie in the bookNasib Rakyat Indonesia in the Era of Independence (2016).