“Today in the era of globalization, there is
no such issues as borders between states of the same nation” Fatos Nano
Kalimantan
as the third-largest island in the world and the largest island in Indonesia, reach
5,6% of total Indonesia population. Kalimantan also contributes 8,31% of
national Gross Domestic Product in second quarter of 2014[1]
which is produced by potential sectors such as mining, forestry,
agricultural, fishery, manufacturing, tourism, etc. This positive progress of
economy gives a lot of opportunity to Kalimantan to improve. This progress also
brings the globalization and social change to Kalimantan especially province
capital city which developing their area like south Kalimantan.
The
globalization effect and social change looks so significantly here in South
Kalimantan, for example from the transportation aspect in Banjarmasin, almost
every hour, there is flight to Banjarmasin and dominated by Garuda Indonesia.
If take look from the passenger, mostly they are expatriate who work in mining
industry. In any case, globalization also affects to society which is the presence
of KFC in Banjarmasin, roughly every 3-5km, there is KFC store. It sounds
interesting, because due to the fact Banjarmasin people are influence by
expatriate culture that likes fast food.
If
take look smaller scale or individually, globalization affects to a person
characteristic, which is consumerism. Most of Banjarmasin people are in middle
upper in social class. They spend their money by buying luxury car, invite
famous diva to their married receptions; even though their live in sub urban
area of south Kalimantan. This shows people have high level of consumerism, and
I think it because they have good economy progress in their business and keep
increasing.
But
unfortunately, the number of economy progress doesn’t same as the reality in
riverside of south Kalimantan capital city. Lot of native Kalimantan especially
Banjar people who live along Barito riverside still categorize as almost poor
and poor; they live below in minimum living cost. Like this interviewee, that I
met three weeks ago.
Since
30 years ago, this mid old women has been familiar with this jukung (boat in Banjar language) and
Barito River. She asked by her parents to work on floating market, up until now
she keeps doing it. She comes from assimilation ethnic between native Kalimantan:
Dayak Ngaju and Melayu who already stereotyped as a trader. Before
sunrise comes up, she paddles her jukung
along to Barito River with her four years daughter. They go around floating
market to do economy activities: sell and buy daily goods or even some of them
still do barter or they call bapanduk, if
the value of those things is same. She is not the only one who vends her goods
here, but she does with others fortyish women; they do selling and buying on
floating market as same as their forefather who do economy transaction as a
part of their culture.
Because of the uniqueness of floating
market as product of culture and tradition, this floating market become one of
top tourist destination in South Kalimantan, which have good potential in order
to attract tourist. Throughout this opportunity, trader can sell their product
to tourist directly and welcome the tourist warmly. In 2008, this floating
market can reach 24.000 tourists but it doesn’t go well, one year later, the
number decreased to 22.000 and until 2010 this tourism object only reach 19.000
tourist. [2]
Currently, the presence of floating market so concerned, the cause of decrease
number because the floating market does not crown as it was. The trader or
women prefer to move to land market because there is opportunity get more
income. And also because of the society has changes. In the past, people are
using jukung or boat as their
transportation to go from one point to another point but now the globalization
brings the advancement of transportation. People tend to use motorcycle as
their transportation because it more effective and efficient. Another reason is
unequal region development; it means government only focus on land development
not the floating market sector, which makes the trader force to move in order
to survive.
Because
of these issue, her income also decrease. She only can survive with Rp 10.000 –
15.000 every day. Because of this economy reason, she hasn’t given her daughter
education; she prioritizes her son to school in order to help the family have
better life. She sends her son to Islamic school, which free tuitions, than go
to the government school and should pay Rp 10.000 per month.
Relate
to the case, globalization is not only talking about how a region integrated to
economy and socio aspect but also it tells about how the society works on development
and changes, does the society ready enough to face the development or changes
of economy and socio integration?
Globalization
has powerful economic, cultural and social dimensions. According to
world commission of ILO[3], the
social dimension of globalization refers to the impact of globalization on the
life and work of people, on their families, and their societies. Concerns and
issues are often raised about the impact of globalization on employment like
get the continuer of floating market trader, working conditions: Market is
dominated by land market, income and social protection: the minimum of income. This Globalization
dimensions probably contributes to the alienation of individuals from their
traditions. They; Banjar people keep following the tradition which is being
floating market trader but on the other hands, the society forces them to
change to be trader in land market. If not, they will survive by themselves in
the era of globalization. That’s why; this case is concluded as the
combination of Sociocultural and economic globalization where these three
things come as one big issue, which damage for Civilization of Banjar people in
keep the tradition context.
Of course Globalization
brings new potentials for development and wealth creation. But there are
divergent views and perceptions among people as concerns its economic and
social impact, and indeed widely varying impacts on the interests and
opportunities of different sectors and economic and social actors. Globalization
may allowed those poor region to increase their standards of living but it will cause massive
dislocations of people as they move to find jobs in more prosperous region.
There is also concern that local cultures will be lost as cross-fertilization
and integration of cultures become more pronounced.
To understand these globalization
effects, I apply a perspective from Global Transformations
book[4].
The authors; David Held, Anthony McGrew, David Goldblatt and Jonathan Perraton
describe three perspectives on globalization which are
Hyperglobalist perspective,
Skeptical perspective,
and Transformationalist perspective. And the most
suitable perspective to this case is Transformationalist perspective. First, this
perspective states that there is no single cause behind globalization. It means
there are many possibilities that brings globalization to South Kalimantan
like; expatriate’s lifestyle, education, government policies, economic logic
and etc. secondly, this perspective assume the outcome of processes of
globalization is not determined. People can’t hide or deny what outcome of
globalization; it might be positive and negative, both are the consequence of
doing globalization. It sounds negative if government forcedly to focus on land
market development, it doesn’t mean floating market is totally end but it can
be good start to improve floating market in tourism sectors. Remember people
can’t determine the outcome but at least control and direct it to be positive
outcomes.
Transformationalist authors believe that the same general
changes have occurred from globalization but there is no direct belief in the
exact direction that these changes came about. Transformationalist say the
power of national governments is increasing but the nature of these national
governments is changing. This perspective believes that the range of factors
influencing processes of globalization is much greater, and the outcomes of
globalization are very uncertain
It’s important to realize that
globalization occurs in Banjar people actually it’s era where people are
entering a new civilization. Where they should be open to change. But they need
socialization that helps them understand and diminish the miss-interpretation
of globalization effects.
I concern to those traders who surviving below twenty thousand
rupiah, I think just give them a opportunity to they to be open to the social
change and they will follow the globalization in good way. Personally,
I agree if globalization occurs in Banjar people life, because they can improve
their life better; they can get better job, better transportation (boat with
machine) better education for their children, better future. They just need a
process where they can adapt their culture with the change. As
recommendation Governments need to prepare formulation of policies that help
the economic activity between regions and build the skills of Banjar people to
prepare them for entering the global market. But if not, the government will
face extreme social gap between the rich and the poor or it will end as
inequality prosperity.
Love,
Hannah Manuela
Banjarmasin - November 2014
for Social Change and Globalisation Mid Exam
