Govt promises more regency autonomy<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister\/State Secretary Moerdiono said
\nyesterday that an authoritarian government would eventually fall
\nbecause excessive control created passive, uncreative people.<\/p>\n
Such a regime would usually become inefficient, have too many
\nunnecessary burdens and would sooner of later collapse because of
\nits limited capacity to bear all its burdens, he said.<\/p>\n
\"This happens in countries with authoritarian, totalitarian,
\ncommunist and military regimes,\" Moerdiono said yesterday on the
\nfinal day of a two-day seminar on regional autonomy.<\/p>\n
A regime would also fail if it gave too much attention to
\npromotion of democracy by encouraging people's creativity and
\ninitiative while ignoring other factors, he said.<\/p>\n
\"A regime which ignores the importance of national unity and
\nintegration is in for a self-defeating process,\" Moerdiono said.<\/p>\n
The seminar, opened by President Soeharto, was organized by
\nthe alumni of the National Resilience Institute, a military think
\ntank.<\/p>\n
The government launched a trial run for a regional autonomy
\nprogram in 26 regencies in April 1995. The project is meant to
\ngive regencies a greater say in their internal affairs.<\/p>\n
Critics said the government has been slow to encourage
\nautonomy. Indonesia passed a law on regional autonomy in 1974.<\/p>\n
Indonesia comprises 27 provinces, 243 regencies and 77
\nmayoralties.<\/p>\n
Moerdiono reaffirmed the government's commitment to delegate
\nmore authority to regency administrations. He said local
\nlegislative councils should be empowered so they could define
\ntheir own development directions and control their regents and
\nmayors.<\/p>\n
\"A regent or mayor is obliged to give an accountability report
\nto local council,\" Moerdiono said, then added that this was his
\nprivate opinion.<\/p>\n
Regents and mayors are not legally accountable to local
\nlegislative bodies but they are to the minister of home affairs.<\/p>\n
The government says it will soon only give broad guidelines to
\nlocal authorities, which can modify them to meet their needs.<\/p>\n
\"But the government must be convinced that the autonomy is
\nstill within its control,\" Moerdiono said.<\/p>\n
The Institute of Public Administration's rector, Ryaas Rasyid,
\nsaid that Jakarta should decentralize some of its power because
\nlocal governments know more about local needs.<\/p>\n
This policy would eventually benefit the government because it
\nwould no longer have to spend money on unnecessary development
\nprojects, he said.<\/p>\n
\"We have been independent for 52 years. The government must
\ntake more concrete steps to appreciate people,\" Ryaas told the
\nseminar.<\/p>\n
He said regents spent more time in Jakarta dealing with
\nministries than in their own offices because most development
\nprograms were decided in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"When a regent returns from Jakarta he is too tired to work,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
He dismissed fears that autonomy could lead to national
\ndisintegration.<\/p>\n
\"A regency will not declare itself a republic after receiving
\nautonomy,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Former Central Java governor Ismail agreed that local
\ngovernment had to be given more power. He said a strong
\nlegislative body was also needed to ensure public control.<\/p>\n
\"Sometimes a regent is too ambitious in reaching his own
\ntargets and ignores public aspirations,\" Ismail said. (06)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-promises-more-regency-autonomy-1447893297",
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