Dutch interior minister questions city autonomy<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Decentralization of the Jakarta administration
\nwas among the topics questioned Saturday by the Interior Minister
\nof the Netherlands Hans F. Dijkstal.<\/p>\n
While visiting Governor Surjadi Soedirdja, Dijkstal wanted to
\nknow about decentralization of the Jakarta administration and the
\neffectiveness of the municipality's autonomy.<\/p>\n
A municipality press release quoted Surjadi as saying that
\nprovincial autonomy did not include defense, finance,
\ninternational relations or the judiciary.<\/p>\n
\"However delegation of central government matters are
\ngradually increasing in line with the capability of each
\nprovince,\" City Hall spokesman Soesilo Darmoadji wrote, quoting
\nSurjadi.<\/p>\n
The central government delegate's its authority according to
\nhow much money it had for development, Surjadi told Dijkstal.<\/p>\n
Surjadi referred to the 1974 law number 5 on provincial
\nadministration and 1990 law no. 11 on Jakarta as the country's
\ncapital.<\/p>\n
The 1974 law rules that governors or heads of provinces have
\nsole authority in their jurisdictions.<\/p>\n
But a high ranking city official said earlier that the
\ninfluence of \"too many governors in Jakarta\" often hampered the
\nmunicipality's ability to make decisions. He was referring to
\nprivate and official interests.<\/p>\n
The source, who requested anonymity, said a lack of expertise
\namong officials meant they could not counter these parties.<\/p>\n
To overcome this problem, the source said, the municipality
\nworked with academics and professionals to plan projects. For
\ninstance, it had a team of architects to draw up building
\nguidelines for on-going and planned superblock projects such as
\nthe Sudirman Business District on Jl. Jend. Sudirman.<\/p>\n
The guidelines would ensure that developers provided
\nsufficient public space.<\/p>\n
Minister Dijkstal said Saturday the city's problems, which
\nSurjadi described, were somewhat similar to those in Dutch
\ncities.<\/p>\n
He said the Netherlands was trying to increase development
\noutside cities to reduce the inequity between native Dutch
\ncitizens and immigrant minorities.<\/p>\n
Dijkstal said he hoped Dutch cities could help Jakarta solve
\nits problems through increased investment, trade and staff
\nexchanges.<\/p>\n
The Minister, who is also the deputy Prime Minister, the Dutch
\nambassador Paul Reitze Brouwer and experts from Leiden University
\nwere among the group which met Surjadi. (anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dutch-interior-minister-questions-city-autonomy-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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