LIPI drafts democratic autonomy bill<\/p>\n
Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The National Institute of Sciences (LIPI) is set to propose a
\nbill on regional autonomy that recommends that regents, mayors
\nand governors as well as members of legislative councils be
\nelected directly by local people.<\/p>\n
\"We will submit it soon after we make some amendments or
\nrevisions to the draft law,\" senior LIPI researcher Mochtar
\nPabottingi told The Jakarta Post after addressing a seminar to
\ndiscuss the bill here on Monday.<\/p>\n
Mochtar is a member of the LIPI team set up to draft a bill on
\ndecentralization and regional autonomy. The five-member team is
\nled by noted political analyst Syamsuddin Haris from the same
\nstate institute.<\/p>\n
The bill is being drafted to provide input to the government
\nand the House of Representatives, for the plan to revise Law No.
\n22\/1999 on regional autonomy that -- according to the government
\n-- contains flaws that could endanger the unitary state of
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
The bill stipulates that the direct elections of governor,
\nmayor and regent as well as their deputies are organized by local
\ngeneral election commissions (KPU).<\/p>\n
Individuals are allowed to nominate themselves as independent
\ncandidates as heads of local administrations to challenge those
\nfrom political parties represented in local legislatures.<\/p>\n
Currently, regents, mayors and governors are elected by local
\nlegislative councils, with candidates being nominated only by
\npolitical parties having seats in the councils.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, like the current contentious law on regional
\nautonomy, the bill allows councils to dismiss regents, mayors and
\ngovernors for certain offenses. Their removal would be binding
\nafter being approved by the president.<\/p>\n
The bill also says that without approval by the provincial
\ncouncil, the president can also directly fire a governor found
\nguilty of treason or guilty of other crimes that could lead to
\nthe disintegration of the country based on a court verdict.<\/p>\n
It did not say whether heads of local administrations and
\nother government officials would have to resign should they be
\ncharged with or convicted of a crime.<\/p>\n
The bill states that a convicted person and\/or suspect in a
\ncriminal case is not allowed to contest the direct election of a
\nregional chief.<\/p>\n
Candidates must be university graduates at the least.
\nCurrently, senior high school graduates can become president,
\ngovernors, mayors and regents.<\/p>\n
The bill says members of legislative councils are also elected
\ndirectly by local people, adding that the move must comply with
\nthe electoral law.<\/p>\n
However, the election bill being deliberated at the House of
\nRepresentatives stipulates that legislators in the central and
\nregional levels are appointed by their political parties through
\ngeneral elections.<\/p>\n
Made Suhandi, a senior official at the Ministry of Home
\nAffairs, told Tuesday's seminar that he supported the new
\nautonomy bill drafted by LIPI in cooperation with the Partnership
\nfor Governance Reform.<\/p>\n
\"We agree to it. We should back the bill because LIPI is a
\ncredible and nonpartisan institute, and the Ministry of Home
\nAffairs is ready to further discuss the bill in more detail,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Other speakers at the forum, including Indragiri Regent Rusli
\nZainal, also voiced support for the draft law to be submitted to
\nthe House.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno recently said the
\ngovernment would revise the current autonomy law, which had
\ncaused disputes between the central and regional administrations.<\/p>\n
He suggested last January that at least 68 bylaws enacted by
\nprovincial and regency administrations be revoked as they
\ncontradicted state laws.<\/p>\n
Earlier, the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
\n(Kadin) demanded that thousands of bylaws be scrapped or reviewed
\nbecause they apparently hinder businesses in the regions.<\/p>\n
However, critics have accused the central government of
\n\"incompetence and insincerity\" in its attempts to share power
\nwith the regions.<\/p>\n
Autonomy law expert Ryaas Rasyid, who is a staunch critic of
\nthe law, has said autonomy implementation had been hampered by
\nthousands of incompatible bylaws and presidential decrees related
\nto mining, education, health services, forestry, investment,
\ntrade and industry.<\/p>\n
\"There are hundreds or thousands of problematic regional
\nregulations and at least 197 presidential decrees, which should
\nimmediately be revoked but the central government refuses to do
\nso,\" Ryaas said last month.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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