Delay not autonomy<\/p>\n
At the beginning of next year, the government will start the
\nmuch-awaited implementation of regional autonomy. State Minister
\nof Regional Autonomy Ryaas Rasyid has said that all necessary
\nsupporting regulations for the implementation of the law on
\nregional autonomy will soon be completed.<\/p>\n
The measure has been waited by the whole nation because it is
\nbelieved it will minimize the threat of national disintegration
\nand increasing separatist activities. And, perhaps, it will
\npostpone -- for the time being at least -- the heated debate
\nabout federalism.<\/p>\n
However, the government is yet to instruct provincial
\nadministrations to fully prepare themselves to administer full
\nautonomy before it decentralizes its power to the provinces.<\/p>\n
Are they ready to manage everything? Perhaps they are running
\nout of time to prepare their budgets, set up institutions and
\nagencies and recruit human resources from other regions -- mainly
\nJakarta. But all these things can be done simultaneously, so
\nthere should be no reason to postpone the implementation of the
\nautonomy law.<\/p>\n
Ryaas recently conceded that some Cabinet ministers were
\nreluctant to transfer authority to the regions. Their reluctance
\nis unquestionably counterproductive because it could rekindle
\nregional restlessness. The state minister might have to imitate
\nPresident Abdurrahman Wahid's charisma to iron out the hurdles
\nalong the road leading to full regional autonomy.<\/p>\n
It is an ugly reality that whatever euphemisms are attached to
\nour regional autonomy system the central government still remains
\nthe holder of the monopoly of power since our development system
\nis still very much centralized.<\/p>\n
In the current paradigm, our provinces will not enjoy much of
\nthe proceeds from their natural resources. And in this case, in
\nJakarta, the greater power is still held by the administration,
\nnot the legislative assembly. And provinces have a little say in
\ntheir own development.<\/p>\n
In this realm we can understand why several resource-rich
\nprovinces are still demanding a larger share of their resources.
\nThe most contentious point to the regions is that for far too
\nlong they were exploited by authoritarian and centralistic
\nregimes. On the other hand, the government has a strong case in
\nits refusal to give in totally to the provinces' demands: for the
\nsake of equity and the nation's responsibility to repay foreign
\ndebts. These two facts made a social observer claim to see the
\nghost of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in this scenario.<\/p>\n
The government is now negotiating with each provincial
\ngovernment on its potential before granting it autonomy.
\nApparently there will be no set standard for regions any longer.
\nThe type of autonomy for each region will differ depending upon
\nthe negotiations, Ryaas said recently.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, conditions in each province are rife with
\nproblems, and the most crucial among them is a lack of skilled
\nhuman resources and inadequate administrative capability to
\ncapitalize on the advantages, as one expert has pointed out.<\/p>\n
So the provinces need to prioritize attracting the qualified
\nhuman resources that migrated to Java due to the centralized
\neconomic system.<\/p>\n
For this purpose the provinces will have to build social
\ninfrastructure, including high-quality education and health
\nfacilities. This will be no easy task.<\/p>\n
Only with all these hurdles eliminated can the autonomy policy
\nput an end to the demands for separatism.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/delay-not-autonomy-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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