Connecting the Western Part of Indonesia: Social and Ecological Implications of Trans Mentawai Development Program

Abstraksi

Across Indonesia, human activity is much depended on transportation. In Mentawai Islands Regency, a district that located in the western part of Indonesia which has about seventy small islands, infrastructure development becomes very crucial for community, especially transportation issue. This paper tries to reveal the vivid condition about Trans Mentawai development program, which lied in 316,20 kilometers and related to the lives of people in three islands; Siberut, North Pagai and South Pagai. Guided by socio – ecological framework, this paper provides an integrated approach to analyze the development of Trans Mentawai program that will be impacted on the economic growth in Mentawai as well as expanded the potential of tourism, fisheries, agricultural and also mining sectors. Findings depict that to tackle disparities across Indonesia, government should provide proper infrastructure for all region and districts in Indonesia. Not only focusing on eastern part of Indonesia, but also developing the western part as one of the potential region in the future.