From Aceh’s Recovery to Indonesia’s First Metro: How William Sabandar Builds a Better Indonesia

An Australian scholarship in the late 1990s set William Sabandar on a path from road planning in remote Maluku to leading reconstruction efforts in disaster-hit regions and Indonesia’s first metro system.

Returning from his graduate studies in Australia and New Zealand, William became involved with the Aceh-Nias Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency in early 2005. William was appointed to lead the reconstruction of the Nias Islands, which had been devastated by the tsunami and earthquake.

After completing his tenure in 2009, William joined a humanitarian mission to help recover Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady Delta, which had been ravaged by Cyclone Nargis. William served as the mission’s head of the reconstruction team until 2011.

William then held several government positions, including serving as Deputy for Operations at the REDD+ Management Agency and heading the National Task Force for Accelerating the Development of New and Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation, before he was assigned as the CEO of MRT Jakarta in 2016.

At MRT Jakarta, he oversaw the development, construction, and operation of Indonesia’s first mass rapid transit (MRT) system. MRT Jakarta marked a significant milestone in modernising the city’s urban transportation system.

‘I leapt from my hometown in Maluku not to Jakarta, but straight to Australia. I skipped several phases. Australia provided me with opportunities to learn and gain extensive international exposure,’ said William, who currently serves as the Indonesian Business Council Chief Operating Officer.

A Respectful Embrace of Diversity in Australia

After earning his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Universitas Hasanuddin in Makassar, South Sulawesi, in 1990, William worked at the Ministry of Public Works. He was assigned to plan and oversee the construction of national and provincial roads on Maluku Island.

As his career progressed, William felt compelled to develop his skills and broaden his knowledge. That was when he learned about the Australia Awards Scholarships, which at the time were known as the Australia Special Training Assistance Scholarships (ASTAS). He applied and was accepted to pursue a Masters of Engineering Science (Civil Engineering) at the University of New South Wales.

Apart from sharpening his civil engineering expertise, studying in Australia exposed him to new networks, international perspectives and advanced ways of thinking. He recalled how meeting students from different countries broadened his understanding of diversity and inclusiveness.

‘Coming from Indonesia, I had experienced diversity. But in Australia, I met Chinese, Indian, Malaysian students and many others. One of my lecturers was Sri Lankan, and I found it amazing that he came from Sri Lanka to teach in Australia. I thought, ‘Okay, the world is actually bigger than my country,’ he reminisced.

This experience, William said, helped shape his competency in building cross-cultural relationships, which has proven invaluable in his career.

The freedom of expression and relaxed environment on campus also left an impression that has lasted for many years.

‘My campus emphasised the importance of respecting and embracing differences so that we can stand as equals. Everybody could express their aspirations without fear,’ he said.

William graduated in 2000 and continued to study, going on to pursue a PhD in geography at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.

Defining Moments in a Nation-Building Career

William reflected on two defining moments in his career. The first was the Indian Ocean earthquake and the ensuing tsunami in December 2004. Triggered by a massive undersea earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, the tsunami spread widely and devastated countries across the Indian Ocean, reaching as far as Somalia, with Aceh and Nias being the hardest hit.

Banda Aceh, the province’s capital, was flattened by giant waves that killed nearly 200,000 people there.

As the head of the reconstruction team at the  Nias Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency, William’s work went beyond rebuilding damaged buildings and roads. He also designed spatial plans to ensure the rebuilt areas could withstand future disasters. These efforts helped lay the foundation for the area's long-term recovery.

William’s responsibilities required building coalitions with stakeholders, including the central and provincial governments, as well as international donors, along with coordination and timely decision-making. The reconstruction efforts in Aceh-Nias, he said, were pivotal in changing negative international perceptions of Indonesia in the early years of the post-Suharto era.

‘I am proud to have been involved in the Aceh and Nias operation. On my side, I managed to foster understanding that the government could rebuild Aceh with dignity and integrity,’ he remarked.

The second milestone was in 2016, when William was appointed to lead the development of Jakarta’s MRT. When he assumed leadership of PT MRT Jakarta, the project was facing a land-acquisition issue that threatened this crucial effort to revolutionise Indonesia’s urban transportation system.

William managed to overcome the issue. Three years later, in March 2019, MRT Jakarta officially began commercial operations. Inspired by Japan’s transit-oriented development (TOD) approach to urban development, William replicated the same concept when developing MRT Jakarta. TOD essentially integrates residential, commercial and public spaces around a public transport station. Using this approach, many businesses have emerged and thrived along the MRT Jakarta route.

‘Studying in Australia helped me view transportation holistically. By building infrastructure and building the city, you are actually creating more opportunities for people to interact,’ he explained.

Role Modelling Ethical Leadership and Culture Change

William attributed his exposure in Australia to helping him grow from a planner to a strategic, high-impact executive and public policy leader. It strengthened his ability to think globally, innovate locally and engage high-level stakeholders, including governments, the private sector, and international partners.

In governance, William aims to promote a government free from corruption by leading with discipline and integrity and acting as a role model.

Reflecting on his experience leading MRT, he said he wanted not only to build infrastructure but also to change a culture.

‘That’s where you can see the difference. With public transportation, everything has improved. In the past, people didn’t queue properly. They would push and shove, and trash was thrown everywhere. MRT transforms the culture of how people appreciate public infrastructure and public facilities,’ William remarked.

Strengthening Indonesia–Australia Relations

In his current role as the Indonesian Business Council’s COO, William noted that city and urban transport development were areas where Indonesia and Australia could strengthen their relationship, particularly in developing cities and rural areas in eastern Indonesia, such as Maluku and Nusa Tenggara.

‘I view the development of Indonesia and Australia’s region as something that should go beyond state borders and beyond the political boundaries of each nation. It should emphasise how social, cultural and economic interactions are built between the two countries,’ he explained.

Indonesia and Australia can also collaborate in urban transport development, such as developing an MRT system in Bali to ease traffic congestion in tourist-packed areas.

‘Those are the opportunities I’ve noted because my background allows me to deal with aspects of economic development,’ he said.

Extending Opportunity to the Whole Nation

Reflecting on his journey, from working in remote areas to earning an Australian government scholarship and building an impactful career, William noted that development planning for eastern Indonesia still relies on a Java-centric approach instead of considering the region’s distinct social and economic contexts.

‘Why are eastern Indonesian regions still underdeveloped? It is because they have limited human resources. How many people in eastern Indonesia get the opportunity to make a significant step forward as I did? I do not think there are many.’

For this reason, William hopes all Indonesians will have equal access to education.

‘I want Indonesia to be free not only economically, but also free to express opinions, to interact with all people, and to have opportunities to make significant progress,’ he remarked. ‘Development should not happen only in Java but across the whole nation.’