Governor upbeat over city's future<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Although acknowledging that Jakarta will have
\nits central government subsidy slashed once the regional autonomy
\npolicy is implemented, Governor Sutiyoso expressed confidence on
\nMonday that the city could survive regional competition.<\/p>\n
\"The city administration still has opportunities, especially
\nwhen the central government will hand over the management of
\nseveral authorities, including the natural resources in the Pulau
\nSeribu (Thousand Islands) marine resort,\" Sutiyoso said,
\nreferring to the chain of islands in Jakarta Bay.<\/p>\n
He was speaking after a meeting with members of the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR) Commission IX covering financial and
\ndevelopment affairs.<\/p>\n
The meeting was intended to gather information on the city
\nadministration's position on plans for the capital and its
\nefforts at stimulating economic recovery.<\/p>\n
The director of exploration and production at the Ministry of
\nMines and Energy, Kardaya Warnika, said last month that based on
\nLaw No. 25\/1999 on fiscal balance between the central government
\nand regional authorities, Jakarta would be allowed to collect 15
\npercent of oil revenue, while the central government would
\ncollect the remainder.<\/p>\n
Based on the estimation that oil companies operating in Pulau
\nSeribu could produce 18,000 barrels of crude oil per day, the
\ncity administration would earn a total of $9.72 million a year,
\nKardaya said.<\/p>\n
A city councilor of the National Mandate Party (PAN) faction,
\nTjuk Sudono, said two oil firms with offshore Jakarta operations
\n-- YPF-Maxus of Argentina and U.S. firm Arco -- could produce
\nmore than 30,000 barrels per day.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso blamed the centralized development policy for causing
\nacute disorder in Jakarta through the concentration of big
\nbusiness and industry in the capital, with attendant population
\nproblems.<\/p>\n
\"The centralized development policy has attracted most of the
\neconomic potential to Jakarta,\" Sutiyoso said at City Hall.<\/p>\n
\"When regional autonomy is fully enacted next year, other
\nprovinces will simultaneously develop and will automatically
\ndecrease urbanization in Jakarta.\"<\/p>\n
Engine<\/p>\n
Commission IX chairman Sukowaluyo Mintorahardjo said the city
\nadministration had begun to establish a conducive atmosphere for
\neconomic recovery.<\/p>\n
\"We hope that Jakarta will soon regain all of its services,
\nespecially in the financial sector, which will become the engine
\nfor the city's future economic recovery.\"<\/p>\n
He said the city was still lacking in its services to the
\npublic.<\/p>\n
\"The city administration must improve its public services to
\ncity residents,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The bureaucratic aspects of public services must be
\nimproved,\" he said, referring to the efficiency, value and speed
\nof its services.<\/p>\n
A commission member of the Golkar faction, Ekky Syachruddin,
\nasked whether the city administration was considering a
\n\"populist\" economic policy.<\/p>\n
\"Such a populist economic policy will develop small-scale
\nbusinesses, not only big ones.\"<\/p>\n
He said the city administration should not rely on donating
\nbasic commodities or providing them at heavy discounts to the
\npoor.<\/p>\n
Creating jobs is key to ending the cycle of poverty, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Market operations will help the poor for one or two days
\nonly. The city administration should provide the poor residents a
\nplace for them to earn their living.\"<\/p>\n
Ekky recommended ensuring equal opportunities for small-scale
\nbusinesses to obtain bank loans.<\/p>\n
\"Are small entrepreneurs given the chance to get bank loans?
\nOr is it only the haves who have had access for the loans?\"<\/p>\n
Aberson Marle Sihaloho of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction said the city administration
\nhad yet to fulfill its commitment to helping small-scale
\nbusinesses.<\/p>\n
He was referring to paragraph 2, Article 27 of the 1945
\nConstitution, which stipulates that all citizens are entitle to
\nearn a decent living.<\/p>\n
\"If the city administration can't provide adequate workplaces
\nfor them, why can't it legalize the status of street vendors?\"<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso responded that the city administration would allow
\nstreet vendors to operate in the city.<\/p>\n
\"We will allow the street vendors to operate, with several
\nlimitations to avoid disorder in the city,\" he said. (05)<\/p>",
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