Banten province may cause domino effect<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): The imminent establishment of Banten as a
\nprovince has been greeted with a mixed response, with some
\nfearing a kind of domino effect.<\/p>\n
Provincial council speaker Eka Santosa warned on Thursday that
\nBanten's separation from West Java could trigger similar moves by
\nother regions in the province.<\/p>\n
\"I heard that the Cirebon regency is working on a proposal to
\nset up an independent province on the grounds that they are not
\nbenefiting from optimal economic growth,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Eka, however, said that the West Java provincial legislative
\ncouncil accepted the decision establishing Banten as a province.<\/p>\n
\"We are now waiting for an assessment from the Regional
\nAutonomy Advisory Board so as to determine which of our assets
\nwill be transferred to Banten,\" he said, adding that it was
\nlikely that development projects, such as the Situ Cipondoh (Lake
\nCipondoh) project, would be turned over to the new province.<\/p>\n
Banten was officially endorsed as a new province by the House
\nof Representative (DPR) on Wednesday. It now only awaits approval
\nfrom President Abdurrahman Wahid.<\/p>\n
Separately, West Java Governor R. Nuriana said that all
\nassets related to the new province will be transferred to Banten.<\/p>\n
\"They include regency and mayoralty offices as well as other
\nadministration buildings,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Deputy speaker of the West Java provincial legislative council
\nKurdi Moekri said Banten's separation would not trouble the West
\nJava province financially.<\/p>\n
\"I'd like to clarify a previous statement by Ekki (Golkar
\nlegislator Ekki Syahruddin) that West Java is reluctant to let go
\nof Banten,\" Kurdi said.<\/p>\n
\"Banten only contributed Rp 94 billion in revenue to West Java
\nprovince this year.<\/p>\n
\"In contrast, the West Java administration provided a total of
\nRp 200 billion to Banten regency this year,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Political observer of the Bandung-based Pasundan University
\nSetia Permana said the aspirations of other regions such as
\nCirebon and Priangan Timur areas to become provinces was normal,
\nbut actually such a move is already too late.<\/p>\n
The Priangan Timur area covers Ciamis and Tasikmalaya.<\/p>\n
\"The center of development in the regional autonomy era is on
\nthe regency\/mayoralty level. They will be given greater authority
\nthan the province and receive more of the share of the budget. So
\nwhy bother separating themselves?\" Setia said.<\/p>\n
Setia further warned that Banten has to be prepared for the
\npossibility of certain elites there who would try to gain power
\nand in the end forget about the public's interest.<\/p>\n
\"So being separated has its own cost.<\/p>\n
\"I think the regions which plan to separate themselves must
\nhold a fair polling because Bogor or Cirebon, for instance, not
\nonly belong to the residents of those areas but culturally to
\nother Sundanese people living in West Java as well,\" he added.
\n(25\/edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/banten-province-may-cause-domino-effect-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}