Government ready to submit bill on Maluku development<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government will submit next week a bill to
\nthe House of Representatives that would divide Maluku into two
\nprovinces, an official said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Ryaas Rasyid, director general of public administration and
\nregional autonomy, said here on Wednesday the move was expected
\nto ease tension in the northern part of Maluku.<\/p>\n
He said the draft was given to the state secretariat on
\nWednesday for presidential approval before being submitted to the
\nHouse.<\/p>\n
\"We expect the bill deliberation to begin as soon as possible,
\nmainly to meet the serious demands that Maluku be separated into
\ntwo provinces,\" he said.<\/p>\n
If the bill is enacted into law, the two provinces will be
\nnamed North Maluku and Southeast Maluku.<\/p>\n
Ryaas also said that the government was completing another
\ndraft law to separate mineral-rich Irian Jaya into five
\nprovinces.<\/p>\n
It remains unclear whether the two bills to establish new
\nprovinces in Maluku and Irian Jaya will be jointly deliberated at
\nthe House.<\/p>\n
President B.J. Habibie had suggested that the plan to divide
\nMaluku and Irian Jaya into several provinces be completed before
\nthe June 7 polls. But the proposal was moved back, out of fears
\nthat it would play havoc with the country's preparations for the
\nelections.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, tension prevailed in Ternate municipality and North
\nMaluku regency on Wednesday as business and social activities
\nremained on hold following an overnight mass rally to push for a
\nseparate province from their southern neighbors.<\/p>\n
Government offices, markets and shops were closed, with only a
\nfew public transportation vehicles operating, Antara reported.
\nThe local telecommunications and post offices, a photo studio and
\na restaurant were the only businesses seen open in Ternate.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of military and police troops were seen guarding
\npublic buildings and facilities, while many others stood by on
\nmajor streets.<\/p>\n
Some shopkeepers told the news agency they were taking a break
\nto anticipate unrest. \"We were suggested to do so. We're afraid
\nthat irresponsible people will provoke the crowd to attack our
\nbusinesses,\" Susanto, a shopkeeper in the Ternate subdistrict of
\nGamalama, said.<\/p>\n
Thousands of people, including many students, marched through
\nTernate on Tuesday to demand the northern part of the troubled
\nprovince become a separate province.<\/p>\n
No violence was reported, although hundreds of police and
\nmilitary personnel were on guard as the demonstrators marched to
\nthe regent's office.<\/p>\n
In their speeches, the students threatened to occupy all
\ngovernment offices in Ternate and North Maluku unless Jakarta
\nheeded their demands.<\/p>\n
Last week, Central Halmahera Regent Bahar Andili, North Maluku
\nRegent Abdullah Assagaf and Ternate Mayor Syamsir Andili openly
\nthrew their weight behind the separation movement, saying they
\nwould give up their posts if the government rejected the demand.<\/p>\n
The northern part of Maluku, which is predominantly Muslim,
\nconsists of three secondary-level administrative regions.
\nSectarian conflicts have jolted many sections of the province,
\nincluding North Maluku, in the six months, claiming over 400
\nlives.(rms\/amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-ready-to-submit-bill-on-maluku-development-1447893297",
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