From the Margins to the Mainstage: NTT’s Bold Step Toward Inclusive Development

Kupang, 14 May 2025 – In a province long marked by development gaps, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) is rewriting the rules of who gets heard, and how. With the launch of MUSIK KEREN, a new forum for inclusive development planning, the NTT government is sending a powerful message: the voices of the most vulnerable are essential to shaping the region’s future.

MUSIK KEREN, short for Musyawarah Perencanaan Pembangunan Inklusif Kelompok Rentan, was unveiled during the Provincial Development Planning Forum (Musrenbang) for the 2026 Regional Work Plan and the 2025–2029 Regional Medium-Term Development Plan. The initiative represents a serious shift in governance, one that incorporates equity and participation into the core of how NTT plans and budgets.

The launch was officiated by senior figures from both the provincial and national levels, including Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, Special Advisor to the Minister of National Development Planning/Bappenas Raden Siliwanti, Bappenas’ Director for Development in Eastern Indonesia Ika Retna Wulandary, and SKALA Team Leader Petrarca Karetji.

“Development in NTT should be like a beautiful harmony—a music enjoyed by everyone,” said Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena. “This forum must become a platform where vulnerable groups can shape policies that impact their lives.”

The event drew a diverse crowd: regional heads, local government agencies (OPDs), civil society organisations, children’s forums, organisations of persons with disabilities, representatives of the elderly, people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV), and development partners.

Why It Matters

Often, planning in many parts of Indonesia struggles to include the people most affected by the lack of access to quality services.

MUSIK KEREN aims to change that.

Anchored in Governor Regulation No. 2 of 2025, the forum is now an official mechanism to ensure that the perspectives of women, persons with disabilities, children, the elderly, and other marginalised communities are systematically integrated into regional planning and budgeting documents.

The SKALA Program, which supports inclusive governance in Indonesia, partnered with the NTT government to shape the forum, coordinate collection of inputs, and engage communities in all 22 districts and municipalities, both online and in person.

Over 200 proposals were collected, 45% from persons with disabilities, 28% from children’s forums, and the remainder from women, PLHIV, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups. Their top concerns? Access to education, health services, social protection, economic opportunities, and legal protection from gender-based violence and human trafficking. These proposals have been verified with relevant OPDs and will be used to monitor and evaluate inclusive development in NTT.

A Model for Others

The significance of MUSIK KEREN goes beyond NTT.  As the Minister for National Development Planning/Bappenas Rachmat Pambudy put it:

“The 2026 Government Work Plan must ensure that no one is left behind, especially not those whose basic needs remain unmet. This is what meaningful development is all about—development that is felt, seen, and brings real change.”

And for advocates like Mario Lado from the Kupang Deaf Community, it’s an important shift:

“Inclusion is not charity or pity, it is our right. Involve us in every decision that affects our lives. I’m also very grateful that this year’s Musrenbang provided sign language interpreters to support our needs.”

Through the launch of MUSIK KEREN, NTT reinforces its role as a pioneer in inclusive development planning, one that actively embraces the voices of communities who are often left behind. SKALA will continue to support this work, with the hope that this good practice will be replicated in other regions across Indonesia.