Autonomy law revision 'not to centralize power'<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Home Affairs' director general for regional
\npublic administration, Sudarsono Hardjosoekarto, reiterated on
\nMonday that a plan to revise the law on regional autonomy was
\naimed mainly at avoiding multiple interpretations of the law.<\/p>\n
He strongly denied allegations that the revision was intended
\nto centralize power.<\/p>\n
\"The revision must continue in order to avoid multiple
\ninterpretations with several articles of the law, which I believe
\ncould lead to disputes between the central and local
\ngovernments,\" Sudarsono said.<\/p>\n
\"Our team is currently identifying these articles and we need
\nmore time to identify problems caused by the law before we
\ncommunicate it (the plan on revision) to related institutions,
\nincluding the regents and representatives of local
\nadministrations,\" Sudarsono said.<\/p>\n
Sudarsono, who is also chairman of the government's team in
\ncharge of preparing the law's revision, said the central
\ngovernment would soon hold a discussion with representatives of
\nlocal administrations in order to avoid further differences of
\nopinion over the revision plan.<\/p>\n
Despite protests from regents and representatives of local
\nadministrations over the plan to revise Law No. 22\/1999 on
\nregional autonomy and Law No. 25\/1999 on fiscal balance, Minister
\nof Home Affairs Lt. Gen. Hari Sabarno has insisted that the
\ngovernment will continue with the plan.<\/p>\n
Many people have criticized the law on autonomy, saying it
\ncould have negative impacts. For example, investors are confused
\nabout which administrations -- local or central -- have the
\nauthority to issue permits.<\/p>\n
Several regencies have issued their own regulations without
\nany guidance from Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The demand for autonomy grew after the downfall of the New
\nOrder regime in 1998 which was widely resented for ignoring
\ndevelopment in the provinces. The strongest demands for autonomy
\ncame from provinces rich in natural resources such as Irian Jaya,
\nRiau and Aceh.<\/p>\n
Autonomy, nevertheless, has been deemed as a potential threat
\nto the country's integration. Even the then vice president,
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri, criticized the autonomy concept, saying
\nthat the law went against the principle of Indonesia being a
\nunitary state as laid down in the 1945 Constitution.<\/p>\n
In a related development, Regency Administrations' Association
\n(Apkasi) chairman Syaukani HR reiterated in Samarinda, East
\nKalimantan, on Monday, his rejection of the revision, saying it
\ncould create new problems as the central government held partial
\nevaluation over its implementation.<\/p>\n
\"The plan to revise the law is intended mainly to maintain the
\ncentral government's own interest as autonomy will only lessen
\nits power,\" Syaukani said as quoted by Antara.<\/p>",
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