House, govt drop FTZ bill deliberation<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The House of Representatives and the government have decided
\nto halt the month-long deliberation of a bill on free trade zone
\n(FTZ) status for Batam Island after both sides fail to come up
\nwith a compromise on several key articles.<\/p>\n
Surya Dharma Ali, chairman of the special House committee
\ntasked to deliberate the FTZ bill, said both the House and the
\ngovernment agreed to drop the bill, causing another uncertainty
\nfor the business community.<\/p>\n
\"We are very disappointed with the result. Both the government
\nand the House remain stern on their stance,\" said Surya.<\/p>\n
Surya said, however, several legislators would try to seek
\napproval from the House plenary meeting on Sept. 14, to be able
\nto proceed with the deliberation of the bill alone without the
\ninvolvement of the government.<\/p>\n
The unexpected decision was taken after several key ministers
\nmet with the House Commission V for trade and industry late on
\nFriday to report the results of their meeting with President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri, and try to offer a compromise.<\/p>\n
The bill, which has been hanging in the balance since 2001, is
\nsupposed to be endorsed at a House plenary session on Sept. 14.<\/p>\n
Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said
\nthere was no other way for both the House and the government than
\nto drop the deliberation process, and leave it to the upcoming
\nnew government and legislators.<\/p>\n
\"We have discussed our differences (with the legislators) with
\nthe President. From the discussion we have come up with a
\ndecision to drop the bill due to significant disparity between us
\nand the House over several key articles,\" said Yusril.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that one of the disputed articles in the
\ngovernment-proposed bill is a plan to limit the FTZ status only
\nin certain industrial areas on the island, known also as \"enclave
\nFTZ\", while the House recommends the whole of Batam Island be
\ngranted full FTZ status.<\/p>\n
The other disputed article was on the authority to manage
\nseaports and the airport in Batam. The government wanted such
\nauthority to remain in the hands of the central government, while
\nthe House insisted that the authority should be held by the local
\nadministration.<\/p>\n
Regarding the plan by several legislators to deliberate the
\nbill without a consent from the government, Yusril said that it
\nwould be against the 1945 Constitutional Law which stipulated
\nthat the House must deliberate laws together with the government.<\/p>\n
\"If there is no consent from the government, the House cannot
\nforce itself to pass the bill. That will be against the law. We
\njust don't want the bill to contain flaws,\" said Yusril, who is a
\nstout ally of presidential candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.<\/p>\n
The House, which is empowered by the Constitution to draw up a
\nbill, had actually completed its own draft a few years ago. But
\nthe government rejected it, and instead drafted its own version,
\nwhich was completed earlier this year.<\/p>\n
A further delay in defining Batam's FTZ status carries will
\nprolong uncertainty for the business community on the island --
\none of the most modern investment destinations in the Asia-
\nPacific region and located only 20 kilometers from Singapore.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-govt-drop-ftz-bill-deliberation-1447893297",
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