Online Discussion | Wednesday, 15 October 2025 | 12.30–13.00 WITA
PELAKITA.ID – The online discussion titled “Understanding the Purbaya Effect Through Local Knowledge and Academic Reflection” brought together academic insight and local experience to explore how the so-called Purbaya Effect—a term reflecting socio-economic and environmental shifts in regional contexts—can be interpreted through the lens of local realities.
The conversation focused particularly on perspectives from the Sulawesi region, where dynamic interactions between development, agriculture, and community resilience are shaping new narratives about governance and regional transformation.
The main speaker, M. Nur Sangadji, a lecturer from the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Tadulako (Palu), shared his reflections drawn from years of research and hands-on experience in the field of regional development.
His presentation bridged theory and practice, offering a grounded understanding of how national policies can influence local capacities and outcomes.
Revisiting the Meaning of the Purbaya Effect
In his opening remarks, Kamaruddin Azis, the Host, noted that public discussions in recent weeks have been filled with reactions to what he calls the Purbaya Effect. Many have expressed appreciation and optimism about the actions of Purbaya, who, according to the Host, has taken several fundamental steps to reform fiscal governance in Indonesia.
In his explanation, Sangadji highlighted three core principles in Purbaya’s approach: aligning budget allocation with real needs, ensuring timely use of funds, and preventing misuse or corruption.
While some local leaders have expressed concern over reduced budget allocations, Sangadji argued that such reactions are natural.
The key issue, he emphasized, is not the size of the budget, but whether the funds distributed by the central government are used effectively at the local level.
This, he said, is where the “Purbaya Effect” becomes meaningful—not as a punishment for local governments, but as a push toward more efficient and accountable public spending.
From Soil to System: The Analogy of Governance
Drawing from his long experience working with local governments and international partners such as UNDP, Sangadji illustrated the importance of good governance using an analogy from agriculture.
“In farming,” he explained, “one major issue is soil acidity. You can’t improve productivity simply by adding fertilizer if the soil is still acidic, because the nutrients won’t be absorbed effectively. You have to neutralize the soil first.”
In the same way, before distributing large budgets to regions, the governance system must first be “neutralized”—strengthened with transparency, accountability, and institutional readiness. Without this foundation, even large sums of money will not yield meaningful progress.
From Political Will to Implementation
Sangadji further elaborated that effective governance follows a three-step process: political will, political budgeting, and political implementation. In many cases, he observed, the government successfully reaches the first or second stage but struggles at the implementation level.
This final stage, he stressed, must also include community participation. Development should not be a top-down process but an inclusive one, driven by both institutional and grassroots initiatives. Only then can public policies translate into real improvements for people’s lives.
Rethinking Development and Resource Use
Reflecting on the broader economic context, Sangadji referred to a statement by Professor Jatna from Universitas Indonesia: “We take the small and destroy the big.”
The phrase, he explained, describes how short-term exploitation of natural resources—particularly mining—can harm long-term assets such as biodiversity and sustainable agriculture.
He reminded participants that natural resources can be divided into two types: those with short-term value, like mining, and those with long-term value, like agriculture and ecosystems.
For local governments, this means that effective financial management should prioritize strengthening agricultural productivity, improving farmers’ access to inputs, and ensuring fair market mechanisms.
According to the host, the Purbaya policy, if implemented effectively, can support this shift—moving Indonesia from an economy driven by capitalization toward one inspired by ‘socialism’, where growth benefits are more equitably shared.
Development as Shared Responsibility
True development, Sangadji argued, must respond to community needs and remain sensitive to both natural and social disasters. If a program does not solve people’s real problems, it cannot be considered development.
He emphasized the importance of involving local people in planning and implementation to ensure a fair distribution of benefits and risks. “Development,” he said, “must be a shared responsibility—not only of the government but also of the community.”
He also underscored the power of collective learning:
“In class, we learn how to think.
In the field, we learn how to do.
But in the community, we learn how to live together.”
This sense of togetherness, he noted, is what makes development both possible and sustainable.
Justice, Leadership, and Local Empowerment
The discussion also touched on the need for fair taxation and benefit-sharing, especially in resource-rich regions such as Central Sulawesi.
Despite contributing greatly through mining, many local areas receive only a small portion of the economic returns. Sangadji called for a more just and transparent system—one that is guided not only by logic but also by empathy and a sense of fairness.
On leadership, he observed that while Indonesia regularly elects new leaders, many still lack adequate preparation and strategic vision.
Education, political institutions, and collaboration with universities are therefore crucial in nurturing effective leadership. In Central Sulawesi, academics and researchers are already assisting local governments in preparing strategic environmental assessments and development documents—an encouraging model of partnership between science and policy.
Closing Reflection
The half-hour dialogue concluded with optimism. Sangadji expressed hope that discussions like this would continue, strengthening the connection between local knowledge, academic reflection, and national policy.
“Maybe next time,” he added with a smile, “we can do it in French. Last month, we held an international seminar with our friends from France.”
His closing remark captured the spirit of the session: open-minded, collaborative, and committed to continuous learning—qualities essential for understanding and realizing the true impact of the Purbaya Effect.
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