Forestry ministry 'rejects autonomy'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The assistant to the state minister of regional
\nautonomy criticized the forestry ministry for its unwillingness
\nto distribute its powers to local administrations.<\/p>\n
\"I'm very disappointed with the forestry ministry's refusal to
\ndecentralize its authority in managing the forests to local
\nadministrations,\" Andi A. Mallarangeng told The Jakarta Post
\nafter presiding over a two-day consultation meeting with a
\nMinistry of Forestry team here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\"This means the ministry rejects regional autonomy,\" he said.
\nOfficials from the forestry ministry's team declined to comment
\non the meeting.<\/p>\n
The consultation meeting was designed to offer suggestions and
\nguidance to the state minister of regional autonomy in drafting
\nregulations for the implementation of regional autonomy, planned
\nfor next year.<\/p>\n
According to Mallarangeng, the Ministry of Forestry is
\nresisting delegating its authority to provincial and regency
\nadministrations, because they feel the local administrations lack
\nthe qualified skilled human resources to manage forestry affairs.<\/p>\n
\"I opposed the arguments because regions have their own
\npotential in managing their forests, and regional autonomy is not
\na matter of being capable or not,\" Mallarangeng said.<\/p>\n
\"The key issue is whether the forestry ministry is ready to
\nhand over all the benefits it has enjoyed so far,\" he said,
\nadding that the forestry sector was in the past a \"fertile\"
\nsector for corruption and collusion.<\/p>\n
He said that under the regional autonomy plan, the monitoring
\nof forest concessionaires and the management of state-owned
\nforestry firms PT Inhutani and PT Perhutani would be the
\nresponsibility of local administrations. (rms)<\/p>",
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