Indonesian Journal of Community Engagement

Jurnal Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat Vol. 7, No. 2, June 2021, Page. 111 – 121 DOI: http://doi.org/ 10.22146/jpkm.46412

20 years Collaborative Governance and Action Research: Evaluation Process of the Regional Spatial Planning of Mappi , Doddy Aditya Iskandar* Department of Architecture and Planning, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada,

Submitted: May 31st 2019 ; Revised: March 19th 2021; Accepted: June 04th 2021

Keywords: Abstract This paper evaluates planners’ capacity to influence the plan- Decision- making process where it often involves actors and institutions with various making interests. Relegating planners’ roles by providing mere technical inputs to Spatial plan those who seek advice would not alleviate spatial imbalance and the unequal Review power structure embedded in the community. Planners should be reflexive and accountable, as it will lead them to aspire to a contested ideal rather than Papua to simply optimize the current system where they are in. Drawing from our

experience in reviewing the regional spatial planning of , providing an alternative approach to current development strategies would help to balance the local community’s power structure. Planners should master the politics of planning as it would help them influence the decision- making process.

1. INTRODUCTION development attracts many local governments. The practice of community service requires a new set Community development indicates a process where of approaches allowing greater participation from decision-makers allow room for participation from multiple actors and institutions, including local non-state actors to achieve the shared vision. Paradigm community members. As the practice of community shift, which engulfed the governance of the service inherently belongs to the discipline of social development process both at a regional and local level, work, several theories are dealing with how has forced scholars and practitioners to rethink and practitioners of community service view the local situate community development in a new context community and society interact one with another and (Brenner et al., 2010; Geddes, 2010). The term and how such an interaction informs these practitioners in definition of ‘community development’, which is devising a better approach to empower the community often described as a standalone service program (Stukas & Dunlap, 2008). Community service allows operate alongside other social welfare service practitioners to collaborate with policymakers and programs funded by the government, is rejected under local community members in devising a better strategy the assumption that such an approach fails to for development or revising policy and development recognize current challenges at the local level. In approaches focusing on the sectoral, intersectoral, or addition, local governments might not have adequate spatial aspect of the development process. resources to successfully engage such a program to As local government is impeded with fiscal empower their local communities and those in need impediments and mounting challenges, the idea of and marginalized. infusing community development and collaborative Collaboration means working together with governance into the decision-making process and others to address or respond to a specific problem (Ansell & Gash, 2008; Bentley et al., 2017; Voorn et

ISSN 2460-9447 (print), ISSN 2541-5883 (online)

*Corresponding author : Doddy Aditya Iskandar Department of Architecture and Planning, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada, 2nd Grafika Street, Sinduadi, Mlati, Sleman, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia Email: [email protected] Copyright © 2019 Jurnal Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat (Indonesian Journal of Community Engagement). This work is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Rasyid ET AL Review and evaluation of regional spatial plan in Mappi al., 2019). As such, it calls for all participating emerged from this deliberation process becomes the stakeholders to focus their efforts through working platform and social contract for all actors involved to with or through others, emphasizing participatory pursue their objectives. However, achieving such a endeavor and the development of trust relations lofty goal was proven to be a difficult task for (Bentley et al., 2017; Voorn et al., 2019). Essentially, everyone involved. Surrendering and losing power the principle of ‘collaboration’ stems from two would create the perception that not only A lost competing paradigms, in which one paradigm focuses his/her ability to exert control to B to do something on the idea of market individualism that requires that B otherwise would not do, but also A lost his/her preferences and exchange and the other focuses on the ability to do x on his/her account instead. As such, aspect of community integration, which relies on while power over is translated into social power, not shared preferences (Thomson & Perry, 2006). all actors would be so easily made concessions to Drawing from this perspective, collaboration entails a others to achieve the common goal. If actors do not principle in which stakeholders will exchange easily relinquish their power (and access to socio- resources and options to obtain their specific economic and cultural resources), then how can they preferences, including central and local government proceed to collaborate in the decision-making process? (Leck & Simon, 2013). If planners (and planners-academics who exerted Governance concerns creative intervention by privileges and access to economic resources) were stakeholders to modify existing structures that inhibit asked to get involved in the decision-making process, the nature of the interaction between state and social how can s/he utilize his/her skills and knowledge to actors and among social actors themselves (Ansell & influence the decision-making and balance the power Gash, 2008). Governance reflects a different approach structure among all actors involved? – as compared to ‘government’ –, which calls for These questions provide a framework to evaluate greater participation and often through equal whether planners should relegate their position to interaction from all involved actors to achieve shared merely technical advisors or play an aggressive stance goals (Johnston et al., 2011). However, most of the by deploying an alternative narrative as a counter- time, sharing goals requires actors to reconsider their argument to the current development strategy in the needs and sacrifice some of their achievements. Actors decision-making process. Drawing from our will negotiate and make room for compromises where experience in providing technical assistance and possible since each actor will measure their efforts advice to review regional spatial plan for the against possible outcomes (Agranoff, 2006; Emerson government of Mappi Regency and USAID-Lestari, et al., 2010; Emerson et al., 2011). this article examines how recent theorizing conceives In adopting collaborative governance and planners-academics engagement in the decision- community development in the plan-making process, making, including the planners’ penchant to avoid one must consider challenges and constraints politically sensitive approach and strategy, could lead embedded in the process. As scholars pointed out the to the development of counter-narrative to the current two distinct characterizations of power (Pansardi, approaches. This empirical excursion results in an 2012), power over, which indicates “the ability of A to examination of planners’ role within a wider context. exercise the power to B to the extent that B will do As a result, we encourage planners-academics to what A wants B to do something that B otherwise embrace a realpolitik of development strategy. would not do”, does not directly translate into the The government of Indonesia requires each local ability of power holders to channel his/her influence to government to create regional a spatial plan as other actors if their access to socio-economic and guidance for the utilization of land and natural cultural resources are constrained by an external resources in its region. Despite the Law Number structure. Moreover, exerting will on others would 26/2007 concerning Spatial Planning was established result in disagreement of what kind of goals and in 2007, local governments still feel unsure about how objectives each actor should pursue. Rather than to best develop the plan as there was no incentive for resorting to the imposition of individual power to the local community and private sector to follow rules other actors which shows a pattern of domination, and regulations of the utilization of private land. scholars argue the merit of power over which signifies Market-based mechanisms still dictate (especially persuasion and empowerment to others (Dowding, urban) land utilization and as a result, the local 2008). government had to develop a regional spatial plan to Collaborative governance and collaboration satisfy the requirement set forth by the central entail the need for working together to solve the government. problem. This argument requires each actor involved The development process of regional spatial in the process to relinquish and share some of their plans in Indonesia involves a mix of technocratic and power to achieve a common goal. The consensus that political processes. Law Number 24/2007 concerning 112 www.jurnal.ugm.ac.id/jpkm Vol. 7, No. 2,

Muhamad ET AL Review and evaluation of regional spatial plan in Mappi spatial planning outlines steps to be taken to develop a provincial, district, and municipal government. regional spatial plan. The law stipulates that the spatial Moreover, the law also assigns each local government plan consists of spatial structure and spatial pattern with specific tax rights. These often result in local with indicative programs to realize the spatial concept competition between neighboring regions to attract outlined in the structure and pattern of planned investment and increase locally owned revenues. To regional space. Moreover, the law also specifies the minimize the negative impact of decentralization and urgency for planners to construct functional relations devolution, the drafting process of the regional spatial between a regional spatial plan with a regional long- plan calls for continuous consultation with the central term development plan. The latter provides a government, especially the Ministry of Agrarian framework for regional sectoral development to be Affairs and Spatial Planning before being put forward detailed further in the regional medium-term as regional regulation (Bahasa Indonesia: Peraturan development plan as a representation of the current Daerah). The local government usually spent between head of a region (provincial and/or regent/district) or 6 months and one year on average to consult and get mayor of a municipality. approval from the central government. In most cases, Planners-academics in Indonesia notes the the central government would mediate possible discrepancy between what was stated in Law Number conflict between neighboring regions due to 24/2007 and the practice of drafting the regional competition for natural resources or locally-owned spatial plan. As the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) revenues. requires each region to develop a regional spatial plan 2. METHODS as procedures for land allocation and utilization, The activity of reviewing and evaluating a local spatial including guidelines for attracting investment, local plan of Mappi Regency took place since December government often develops the plan with disregard to 2017. Several experts were invited to collaborate to environmental impacts the plan might generate. This assist the local government of Mappi in evaluating lack of environmental concern often stemmed from the their 2011–2030 local spatial planning and provide need to increase locally owned revenue, one of the key independent assessment on whether such a plan could performance indicators of the head of the region be implemented without revision. Due to the local (governor, regent, or mayor). government’s limited fiscal capacity, the plan for The introduction of strategic environmental reviewing and evaluating Mappi’s regional spatial assessment (SEA) in 2009 as an integral element of plan was delayed until November 2018. The local the regional spatial plan allowed environmentalists to government through its regional development- assess the impact of development from the realization planning agency asked USAID-funded Lestari, a non- of the regional spatial plan. As a result, spatial governmental organization focusing on conserving planners are tasked to evaluate possible development tropical rainforest in three districts in the Province of impacts to the environment and local community Papua, to collaborate in financing the activity. In when they developed regional spatial plans. The return, the government of Mappi was expected to incorporation of SEA into spatial plan making is seen incorporate Lestari’s objectives (of conserving forest as a strategy to minimize the unforeseen effect of in Mappi) as one of their long-term development various developments initiated from the regional goals. spatial plans. Moreover, it was developed to address As such, this community service was designed to the spatial imbalance between risk-prone areas with allow stakeholders and the local community to fully high economic value areas. While the process is participate in the process. We approach this activity technically stringent, it is not devoid of political through the lens of action research, where we try to concerns from actors affected by the outcome. Several address both the theoretical gap and practical gap of cases, such as the plan to build mine karst for cement decision-making in the planning and development factory in Kendeng mountain or border dispute field (Winter, 1993; Deemer, 2009). Utilizing action between Blitar Regency and Kediri Regency, research in our case allows for interrogating how the exhibited the inability of SEA to address current practice of planning and decision-making in environmental and social issues as the outputs of SEA the disadvantaged region like Mappi Regency is were recommendations that could be ignored by insufficient to provide greater room for local policymaker(s). community members to fully participate and at the Furthermore, the spatial plan-making process same time let us interrogate what would be the best allows regional and local actors to bargain one with approach to inducing collaborative governance in the another to fulfill their interests. Law Number 23/2014 development processes. concerning local government stipulates various The collected data were initially sent from development rights and authorities embedded in the Mappi’s local development planning agency and later Vol. 7, No. 2, www.jurnal.ugm.ac.id/jpkm 113

Rasyid ET AL Review and evaluation of regional spatial plan in Mappi Lestari’s local staff added little information relevant to and/or revision of the spatial concept of Mappi’s the evaluation process of the local spatial plan. regional spatial plan. Furthermore, the alignment Secondary data consisted of printed reports and legal between sectoral and spatial plan ensured that the documents (such as local regulations and technical outcome of regional development could be met within reports on Mappi’s spatial plan, and Mappi’s medium- a designated period; term development plan). Primary data were collected 1. We developed open-ended criteria for evaluating through in-depth interviews and field observations, the regional spatial plan. These criteria should be which took place in the fourth week of January 2019. clear but flexible enough to accommodate While the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and various interests that the researchers (the Spatial Planning regulation set forth steps to conduct community service team members) might spatial planning review, experts developed specific encounter during the public hearing. The approaches to incorporate local values into the development of such criteria followed the assessment process. These resulted in the development principle of ex-ante evaluation; of environmental, socio-economic, and infrastructure 2. We incorporated the abovementioned criteria indicators that reflected what experts considered as with indicators outlined in the Ministry of important development aspects that should be Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning guidelines considered in evaluating a regional spatial plan of the for reviewing the regional spatial plan. This Mappi Regency. Specifically, as Lestari indicated their would ensure that the outcome of the process wish to incorporate their development goals of would be easier to accept by regional and local preserving tropical rainforest in Mappi into the actors, and document, two additional environmental indicators 3. We triangulated the initial findings of the review were called for the review and evaluation process of process with a rapid assessment of the field. regional spatial planning of Mappi Regency: Since the local government and Lestari office Indicator number 2: Highly valuable only allocated five-day visit (including public conservation area and/or natural resources area hearing), a field visit was designed to capture the (measured in hectare) under better natural resources dynamics of the utilization of land and the local management as a result of the USAID program, and community’s perception concerning the current Indicator number 6: Number of strategic state of regional development in Mappi and the environmental assessment (SEA) recommendations vision of Mappi in the next ten to twenty years. related to land use planning, spatial planning, The information would be sought through KEHATI forest management, and conservation used interviews with members of the local in the development process of local government community, randomly selected to ensure the policy, plan, and programs (including the regional validity of the information. spatial plan of Mappi Regency). Time limitation for field observation and the These two indicators reflect challenges in intent to influence the decision-making process led us reviewing and evaluating the regional spatial planning to develop a specific strategy to present the document as the process of drafting the plan was researchers’ ideas of what constituted a good regional entirely influenced by technical aspects set forth by spatial plan was despite there were ministerial the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning guidelines of standardized content of a spatial plan. through several of its regulations and decrees. This Rather than outlining a normative spatial plan from the process did not take into account environmental perspective of academics, we developed strategic concerns from the perspective of other regional and points where the local government of Mappi could local actors such as Lestari. Officials of the Lestari utilize those as starting point to integrate various local office informed us that their stated indicators competing interests in land utilization in the region. might not align with decision-makers focus on We outlined several approaches that allowed local bolstering the local economy through infrastructure government to analyze their regional endowment development to attract investment to the region. (including their natural resources) and create Acknowledging and incorporating these economic valuations to measure possible impacts from challenges into the process of evaluating and these endowments. reviewing the regional spatial plan led us to devise the Moreover, we also noted that Mappi still following steps: experienced constraints regarding its development We identified local development issues and outcome as measured through the following macro- problems by juxtaposing Mappi’s long-term and economic indicators: economic growth, poverty rate, medium-term development plan (RPJPD and RPJMD) and human development index. Not only a good with Mappi’s regional spatial plan. This would spatial plan allows the local government to allocate provide aims and directions for the development land effectively and efficiently, but it can also be used 114 www.jurnal.ugm.ac.id/jpkm Vol. 7, No. 2,

Muhamad ET AL Review and evaluation of regional spatial plan in Mappi as an instrument for economic investment in the 3. RESULT region. However, an investment plan not carefully The initial evaluation process took place two well-thought would lead to environmental degradation months before the public hearing that was scheduled and an increasing rate of deforestation in Mappi. in January 2019. Relevant information was sent from a Before presenting our ideas and findings of evaluating contact person from the local Bappeda (Regional the regional spatial plan of Mappi, we concluded that Development Planning Agency) office that facilitated specific valuation mechanisms regarding the the discussion among experts involved. One major utilization of land and natural resources should also be concern raised in the discussion was the urgency to presented to the local stakeholders of Mappi and stimulate economic growth while at the same time Lestari. We believed such an approach would facilitate tropical rainforest (which constitutes almost 75 more sustainable development of Mappi in the years to percent of the total area of Mappi district) can still be come and not rely on the industrialization of the local conserved. Moreover, despite having 300 km of economy through the capital investment of the heavy coastal lines on its western side, most settlement areas manufacturing industry. in Mappi are scattered and located in inland areas, Reviewing Mappi’s spatial plan in its original which impede the economic development process as form and as a legal binding product (local regulation) those areas can only be reached either through the air illustrated the dynamics of the region’s socio-cultural or through the river. and challenges imposed to the region, something that The role of the report and written documents is easily found in Indonesia. The local government's were deemed crucial in the analytical process as they interest in attracting investment to the region provided a glimpse of Mappi’s socio-economic foreshadowed potential conflict of interests among structure. Moreover, as communications between stakeholders and the urgency to reach consensus experts and local resource persons in Mappi were through negotiation and bargains. Changes in the way limited, these reports and documents helped experts government execute their programs based on visualize stakeholders’ perceptions and their interests development and spatial plans were seen as pertinence in formulating development strategies for Mappi. The to accommodate potential investments’ requirements medium-term development plan stipulates the need for on land availability and specific uses of activities. At bolstering economic growth through human resources the same time, there was pressure from environmental and infrastructure development. This calls for strategic groups and central government ministries to the local approaches as Mappi currently is part of 122 lagging government to retain the existing tropical rainforest in regions in Indonesia. Contents of Mappi first medium- the region. This in turn put pressure on the local term development plan describe the urgency for government in balancing economic needs and increasing the quality of life through regional and environmental concerns. Recognizing and reconciling sectoral development facilitated by: this situation by developing mechanisms to bargain 1. Infrastructure development to increase regional and compromise among stakeholders facilitating better and local connectivity; development processes. We posited that our approach 2. Education sector development; to assisting the local government of Mappi in 3. Health sector development, and reviewing their spatial plan allows more room for 4. Local economic development negotiations and compromise, a process that can be As such, the abovementioned statement became replicated by other local governments in Indonesia. the rallying point for the local government to devise Furthermore, by deconstructing the consultation development strategies focused on human resources process of reviewing local government spatial plans development and infrastructure development. from merely informing to building partnership, our Infrastructure development was envisaged as a means approach would minimize potential conflicts that to create connectivity to adjacent districts (notably might emerge due to participants’ differences in and ). interpreting what the process outcomes would be. However, these goals appeared to be impeded by local Inviting and giving more spaces to local community government fiscal capacity. After seceded from members to contribute to the decision-making process Merauke, Mappi’s local government recorded an lead to a better understanding of what each average of IDR 0.7 billion per year with its fiscal stakeholder’s interest is and how each participant autonomy degree (Indonesian: derajat otonomi navigates their interest and needs in mediating fiskal/DOF) at 1.75 percent between 2007 and 2011 different interests and interpretation of development (RPJMD Mappi Regency 2012-2017). This indicated goals. the local government’s dependency on the central

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Rasyid ET AL Review and evaluation of regional spatial plan in Mappi The local government's reliance on central government Furthermore, since the central government mandated fiscal policy made any capital investment project that the development of regional spatial plan referred seemed unrealistic which in turn dragged the to provincial spatial plan, the community service team economic growth of the region. also explored whether ideas and concepts developed in Regardless, as tropical rainforest made up almost the provincial spatial plan were adopted and modified 75 percent of Mappi’s total area, it has allowed the according to local needs. We found that the content of region to garner additional revenue through revenue- the regional spatial planning of the Mappi Regency sharing funds. Moreover, as Mappi is a part of Papua did not entirely adopt provincial spatial planning. This Province, the region is eligible to receive a special suggested that the development process of the plan autonomy fund. This fund was initiated during was influenced more by technocratic processes rather Abdulrahman Wahid's presidency and signed as a law than political negotiations. Through an evaluation of when Megawati Soekarnopoetri took the mantle of the content of the plan also, we revealed a lack of presidency in 2001. The special autonomy fund was influence of the regional long-term development plan established to stimulate the economy of the Papua on Mappi’s regional spatial plan. While the regulation region leading to the local community’s increasing did not stipulate that the development of regional prosperity. Under the umbrella of Law Number spatial plans should be aligned with a regional long- 21/2001 concerning the allocation of special autonomy term development plan, the alignment between the two funds to Papua Province (and later amended to Papua would theoretically provide the necessary framework and West Papua Provinces), both provinces are needed for the region to address various development entitled to receive a larger proportion of revenues issues through specific land utilization. (compared to other regions not covered by special The regional spatial plan of the Mappi Regency autonomy). This approach was set to expire in 2021 did not outline clear steps to respond to specific issues (20 years after its initiation). However, based on already stated in the regional medium-term Mappi’s first RPJMD (regional medium-term development plan. This was the result of the development plan), it appeared that the local detachment of the regional spatial plan-making government had already recognized this issue and process with the politically messier process of the embarked on a challenging avenue to establish new sectoral plan such as the medium-term development sources of revenue to replace intergovernmental plan. The central government through the Ministry of transfer fund. Home Affairs already established rigid steps to Technical report of the regional spatial plan of develop a regional medium-term development plan Mappi was developed in 2010-2011 and consisted of (RPJMD) and sectoral strategic plan (Indonesian: the following elements: a spatial concept that outlined Renstra dinas), and local governments must comply the vision of what Mappi Regency would look like with those regulations. Moreover, compliance with the after the plan was implemented for twenty years, the MoHA’s rules is a must as it jointly controls the local spatial structure and spatial pattern that designated government budget with the Ministry of Finance specific functions embedded in certain land allocations (MoF). Because of this, most of the indicative and connectivity (represented by networks of programs in the regional spatial plan of the Mappi infrastructure) among urban settlements, and Regency did not conform to the list of programs and indicative programs to spur the realization of such projects outlined in RPJMD and Renstra dinas. vision and spatial design of the region. It outlined Mappi Regency is also one of 122 lagging what steps needed to be done and broken down regions in Indonesia. This means that the region is programs and projects into several development underperformed in three macro-economic indicators phases and activities. (economic growth, poverty rate, and human An assessment of the regional spatial plan was development index) as compared to the national conducted by comparing the content of the report with average of those three. Even when compared with both regional medium-term development plans neighboring regions such as Merauke Regency, Boven (RPJMD 2012-2017 and RPJMD 2017-2022). Digoel Regency, and Asmat Regency.

Table 1. Indicators of development outcome (BPS-based HDI data and local annual budget from Directorate General of Central- Local Fiscal Balance, Ministry of Finance) Poverty rate (% of Human Development Index (HDI) Economic growth the total Education GRDP per (%) Life Expectancy population) MYS EYS capita Mappi 7.32 25.75 64.30 6.10 10.48 6,143 Boven Digoel 4.26 19.90 58.77 8.08 10.98 8,048 Merauke 7.46 10.81 66.56 8.27 12.98 10,277 Asmat 5.83 27.16 56.32 4.71 8.12 5,771

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Papua Province 5.35 27.62 64.28 5.56 9.68 6,543 National Average 5.07 10.64 68.32 7.46 12.39 9,111 We noted the reluctance of the local government Table 1 shows the difficulty and challenges of to realize the plan to relocate to the new area even the local government of Mappi in responding to its though several buildings had already been built. As current development outcome. Despite continuous the local government shifted its attention to support from the central government through its identifying possible regional economic drivers to intergovernmental transfer fund, particularly the transform the local economy, we identified several special autonomy fund, poverty was still rampant, and issues in the region as the result of fuzzy spatial except for mean and expected years of schooling, life concepts embedded in the regional spatial plan. The expectancy and purchasing power in Mappi were still first one concerns the unclear spatial structure of the below the provincial average. Although the economic region resulted in siting of public facilities growth was higher as compared to the provincial disregarding the distribution of local settlement in average, this figure reflected economic structure with Mappi. The second issue evolved from the disconnect the government and government-related activities as between a sectoral plan (represented by RPJPD and the predominant sector that drove the economy of RPJMD) and a spatial plan. As each plan was Mappi. developed separately, it was difficult to track which Having analyzed this information, we presented program and/or project in the regional spatial plan our initial findings to Lestari local officials first as contributed to the implementation of the vision and they had more at stake with this process, especially mission outlined in the sectoral plan. Furthermore, since they wanted their indicators to be incorporated in aligning sectoral with the spatial plan also revealed the regional spatial planning of Mappi. We argued that local government different approaches when as there were many impediments to the development developing those plans. A sectoral plan, particularly a of Mappi, crucial steps needed to be taken. We medium-term development plan, was carefully drafted proposed to alter the development process of regional as it contained the head of the regency’s vision; as a spatial planning by incorporating economic valuation result, it directly affected the budgeting process (including shadow price and opportunity cost) of (budget appropriation). Conversely, spatial planning Mappi’s regional endowment as it would allow only regulated the utilization of land at the regional decision-makers to weigh the cost and benefit of level, and it could not provide legitimacy to local taking a specific development strategy and immediate community members when they sought to get impacts associated with such a strategy. We also development approval at individual parcels/lots. The discussed whether the vision of the current head of the third issue stemmed from the way the regional spatial region (regent/bupati) might result in net economic planning was developed, which was oriented towards loss for Mappi and alternative approaches to alter the technocratic approaches as outlined by the Ministry of possibility of having the net economic loss. Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning. Such a We asked Lestari officials and local government strategy, while assuring that the output would be officials from the regional development planning standardized across regions, it failed to recognize office regarding specific issues in Mappi and whether regional specific problems including local government there were any concerns raised by the local capacity and civic capacity in the plan-making community from those issues. A local government process. official noted after the establishment of Mappi as a These three issues provided a context for the new district; the local government along with local researchers to develop a framework that would be stakeholders have discussed the location of local presented during a public hearing. This framework government offices. They envisioned an area where all would touch upon the following aspects: (1) rapid offices would be located adjacent to each other to ease assessment of various interests which were expected coordination and the provision of public services to to emerge during the public hearing, allowing the the local communities. However, a shift in local power researchers to better capture the mood and structure made the plan difficult to implement as the expectations of local stakeholders, (2) while the new power holder argued it was the best option for the process will continue to utilize technocratic approach local community to retain the location of the new to reviewing and evaluating the plan, the researchers district in its current location and bolster the economy would also incorporate several techniques to refine the of the area through several programs and projects. As evaluation output and assist decision-makers in a result, prior government investment in developing a making better decisions regarding land allocation and government office complex was neglected. utilization, and (2) cost-benefit analysis will be introduced during public hearing allowing those who

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Rasyid ET AL Review and evaluation of regional spatial plan in Mappi attend the meeting to measure the impact of proposed accompanied by development alternatives, which development strategies. This information was relayed could provide an avenue for further discussion among to the local government officials and Lestari staff local stakeholders. Moreover, the alternatives were members to get their initial approval and to make the seen not as a challenge to the current thinking process run smoothly. concerning land allocation and utilization using Before attending the public hearing, the industrial estate development; rather, they were means researchers were asked to meet the head of the Mappi to alter the current approach, which might result in Regency for an informal debrief of the process. The environmental degradation. regent expressed his wishes and concerns regarding The public hearing was set as an avenue for the economic growth of his region and wondered exploring local stakeholders’ inputs and perceptions whether capital investment financed by the private concerning possible development strategies to sector and supported by collaboration between central stimulate the local economy. In this case, the and local government could expedite achieving the presentation of the result of the regional spatial development outcome. He pointed out his plan to planning review process was treated as a proxy to develop an industrial port as a feasible solution to explore alternative approaches to development. penetrate his region’s backwardness. The chosen site Attending local stakeholders consisted of for this plan was an area inside the conserved tropical representatives of technical local offices responsible rainforest in Mappi. The local government noted the for implementing the sectoral plan, invited community possibility of the borrow-to-use permit for forest area members including indigenous people, and the local scheme as stipulated in the Ministry of Forest house of representative members. The presentation Regulation Number P.18/Menhut-II/2011. It allows itself was carried out by local regional development protected forests for non-forestry development planning office personnel and assisted by Lestari local activities such as general mining activities, power staff members. plant installations, power transmission, and power distribution activities (among other things). However, a close examination revealed that under this regulation land utilizations such as an industrial estate and a port were not allowed. The researchers acknowledged the local need for economic development but at the same time realized that the conventional approach through the industrial port development would bring about environmental degradations and deforestations in Mappi. As such, it was pertinent to provide alternative approaches to stimulating the local economy. These approaches should be tailored with the civic and local government capacity to deliver the expected results. For this reason, we developed a new calculation to provide Figure 1. Strategic areas of Papua province (Spatial planning benefits of employing an industrial estate development RT/RW of Papua Province 2010-2030) vis-à-vis a natural resource utilization through cluster development and appropriate technology. One important issue raised during the meeting Local government officials, particularly the was the ability of spatial planning to attract regional development planning board, were keen to investments to the region. Many questioned the address the urgency for replacing regional regulation structure of the spatial plan and wondered whether concerning the regional spatial planning of Mappi as external pressure, including the establishment of they considered it inadequate to respond to the current Papua Province’s strategic areas as the result of development challenges and problems. The public regional spatial planning of Papua Province and the hearing was used as a forum to obtain local development of Trans Papua, could significantly affect stakeholders’ approval in replacing the current plan Mappi. Furthermore, several local technical office with the proposed one. Absent from the discussion staff members wondered about the impact of the was how to situate the new plan with strategic economic competition between Mappi and its approaches to bolster the economy and increase the neighboring regions, such as Boven Digoel and local communities' welfare but ultimately sacrificing Merauke, when there was no clear demarcation the environment and the communities quality of life. regarding regional boundaries among these three Faced with this challenge, the researchers proposed a neighboring regions. mechanism in which the review result would be 118 www.jurnal.ugm.ac.id/jpkm Vol. 7, No. 2,

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To persuade local stakeholders to weigh on government focus on preserving tropical rainforest alternative approaches to utilizing land – and were amplified in the meeting as local stakeholders therefore, lead to significant changes of spatial expressed hopes for economic growth with the idea of structure and pattern of Mappi-the researchers outlined industrial port development. Drawing from similar the current practice of evaluating regional spatial plans cases in other regions, the researchers outlined steps to in other places in Indonesia. Economic valuation and evaluate the financial and economic feasibility of accompanying methods were shown as a sample to using agricultural commodities instead of industrial illustrate to local stakeholders of various possibilities estate development. Although this step was accepted in utilizing natural resources to stimulate the economy by some local government officials, it could not without resorting to the practices of industrial estate dissuade the government not to develop major projects development. Moreover, drawing from the natural in the region. resources balance sheet helped the researchers point The process of presenting the findings and out the financial benefits of using agricultural seeking common ground among the local stakeholders commodities development instead of industrial estate revealed delicate stages of a decision-making process. development in Mappi. Actors made compromises and negotiated their Numerous inputs were coming from local positions based on their needs and the benefits they stakeholders, ranging from the need to connect the might accrue. While local stakeholders approved the Trans Papua development plan with the existing decision to invite investors in Mappi through the Mappi infrastructure development plan to the industrial port and estate development in the region, objection of using transmigration policy to increase they also noted the need to balance the rationale for population in the region. These inputs could be using such an approach with other mechanisms categorized into two major inputs: (1) one concerns allowing the economy to grow. The whole process of the development strategy that the local government of the regional spatial planning review and public Mappi should consider, and (2) whether hearing represented the dynamics of the decision- environmental concerns, including the conservation making process where issues of regional and local and preservation of tropical rainforest, could be politics overlapped with pressures of economic integrated into the redesign of regional spatial concerns (Logan & Molotch, 1987; Benveniste, 1989; planning of Mappi. Uitermak & Nichols, 2015; Ozdemir, 2019). The result of the public hearing demonstrates the 4. CONCLUSIONS need for planners to master the politics of planning (Benveniste, 1989). Planning as a process requires a In the light of our experience in reviewing the regional planner’s technical and political prowess in navigating spatial planning and public hearing for dissemination the dynamics of the decision-making process. Each and getting consensus from local stakeholders of stakeholder will delineate their input to the process Mappi Regency, we suggest that planners should be according to their needs and try to influence the capable of providing alternative narratives as a outcome of the process (Forester, 1984; Certoma & counterargument for contemporary development Notteboom, 2015). This governs mentality mode approaches. The narrative of bringing in investments implores the ability of structures and procedures of from outside the region should be carefully examined control and disciplining for shaping the mentality of and reconsidered. A mere oppositional interpretation others (Ploger, 2008). As each actor explores the of past economic approaches to stimulating terrain of uncertainty in the decision-making process, development is no longer adequate. they exert the control of their power through access to Drawing from the case of the regional spatial information and the command of local social and plan of Mappi, planners need to rethink and reevaluate economic resources. As the regent of Mappi pointed their position relative to other actors involved in the out the need for industrial estate development using decision-making process. Avoiding political interests terms such as job creation and economic growth, local would allow planners to escape from unforeseen stakeholders situated themselves around these issues challenges in the future; however, planners would lose and failed to recognize the urgency of preserving their voice in navigating and the ability to influence tropical rainforest amid the euphoria of economic the development trajectory of the future. Providing development. alternative development approaches would help Environmental issues were brought up by Lestari community members with less access to economic staff and the researchers during the meeting to address resources. However, in doing so the planners need to the possibility of using different development carefully assess community power structures and strategies in bolstering the economy of Mappi. Their weigh the optimum strategy to address the concerns for environmental degradations and lack of development issue. While planners are equipped with

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Rasyid ET AL Review and evaluation of regional spatial plan in Mappi more knowledge, skills, and capacity to operate than 182-222. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471- all other actors, they usually navigate their work 0374.2009.00277.x within the scope of work and less sanguine with their Dowding, K. (2008). Agency and Structure: ability to influence the decision-making process. Interpreting power relationships. Journal of Power, 1(1), 21-36. DOI: Rarely do planners execute their plan by situating their https://doi.org/10.1080/17540290801943380 position as partisans to the issue and provide a Certoma, C. & Notteboom, B. (2017). Informal stimulating narrative to all involved in the decision- Planning in Transactive Governmentality: Re- making. Despite the possibility of planners becoming reading planning practices through Ghent’s vulnerable in the process, it is worth mentioning that community gardens. Planning Theory, 16(1), they have the capacity for turning resources out 51-73. 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