Autonomy law stays, but needs revision: Megawati<\/p>\n
Asip Agus Hasani, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri said here on Wednesday that
\nthe government had no intention of rescinding the one-year-old
\nregional autonomy law, but insisted that Law No. 22, 1999 on
\nregional autonomy needed revisions to maintain the country's
\nunity.<\/p>\n
\"As President of Indonesia, haven't the slightest intention of
\nreducing or retracting this decentralization of power -- but I
\nhope that we all view this in terms of national interest, for
\nuncontrolled passions can cause the nation to collapse,\" she said
\nin her address at Gadjah Mada University (UGM).<\/p>\n
She spoke at the opening of a seminar on regional autonomy
\nwhich was organized by the university's post-graduate program on
\nlocal government and regional autonomy.<\/p>\n
The President, who was accompanied by Coordinating Minister of
\nEconomy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro Djakti; Minister of Home Affairs Hari
\nSabarno, and Coordinating Minister of Security and Political
\nAffairs Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, marked the opening
\nof the seminar which featured experts on the issue.<\/p>\n
Megawati also called on regions to end their suspicions about
\nthe possible withdrawal of the implementation of regional
\nautonomy by the central government, saying that regional autonomy
\nwas inevitable for the archipelago to adopt a proper foundation
\nfor its religious and ethnic plurality.<\/p>\n
She said that the suspicion needed to be quickly addressed,
\notherwise it would generate deeper tension between central
\ngovernment and the regions. She criticized some regions' threats
\nto separate from Indonesia outright any time they supposed the
\ncentral government was making efforts to intervene their affairs.<\/p>\n
\"A new problem arises now that many governors, regents, and
\nmajors are reluctant to answer the central government's
\ninvitations as the law No. 22, 1999 law stipulates that there is
\nno hierarchical line between central government and regional
\ngovernments,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Megawati also emphasized the urgent need to revise the law No.
\n22, 1999 in connection with the regions' control of the sea area
\nwhich had generated conflicts and competitions among regions for
\ntheir control over sea zone.<\/p>\n
She underscored that regions' control over territorial waters
\ncould jeopardize the national unity, as sea channels was
\nsomething that connected one island to the others in this
\narchipelago.<\/p>\n
\"The country's founding fathers recognized the concept of
\nregional autonomy as a concept which was closely associated with
\nnationhood,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Her presence in the university was greeted by hundreds of
\nstudent protesters grouped in the Front of Poor People's Defender
\nand the Big Family of Gadjah Mada University Student who
\nquestioned the government's commitment in defending the people's
\ninterest and in eradicating corruptions.<\/p>\n
Protesters were unable to approach Balairung Building where
\nthe seminar opening ceremony was held for tight security measures
\nby hundreds of police and armed force personnel.<\/p>\n
A scuffle between protesters and police almost took place
\naround the faculty of philosophy, but the tension diminished as
\npolice personnel began to leave the site.<\/p>\n
Some of their posters read, \"Megawati is no the longer
\npeople's leader,\" \"Give people access to cheap education!\" \"We
\nreject Mega's visit,\" \"Resign! Mega, Amien, Akbar, Haz can't
\nsolve the country's problem.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/autonomy-law-stays-but-needs-revision-megawati-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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