Perspectives on the Development of Border Regions in Indonesia

Abstract

Border regions have long been treated as marginal, being far from the centres of government and economic development. Consequently, there has emerged significant disparity in infrastructure and economic fulfilment between these regions compared and more centralised ones. This article examines the influence of the developmentalist perspective, which has failed to empower border communities in dealing with potential threats. This research finds that problematic perspectives have positioned border communities in detrimental situations and conditions, and as a result national security in border regions is severely threatened. This article urges a shift in how border regions are perceived, positioning them not as isolated hinterlands but as the gateways to Indonesia. A development policy capable of centring the margin is thus necessary to transform the various shortcomings in border regions into strengths.

Keywords: border region, marginality, social disparity, national security, development policy