Opposition grows against Autonomy Law review<\/p>\n
Ainur A. Sophiaan, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya<\/p>\n
The incomplete implementation of regional autonomy and the
\nwidespread misunderstanding about the autonomy law have begun to
\nraise new conflicts between the central government and provincial
\nand regional governments.<\/p>\n
While the central government was deliberating the proposed
\namendment of the regional autonomy law with the House of
\nRepresentatives on Monday, the East Java Provincial Legislative
\nCouncil also agreed to oppose the government's proposed
\namendment.<\/p>\n
The provincial legislature leadership in their meeting in
\nSurabaya on Monday ruled out the proposed amendment as an attempt
\nby the central government to retrieve the power it gave to
\nprovinces, regencies and municipalities under the law since Jan.
\n1, 2001.<\/p>\n
They were of the same opinion that all matters proposed to be
\namended in the law were aimed at pushing the nation back to the
\nold-fashioned centralized administration system that has proven
\nineffective in improving the people's welfare and developing
\ndemocracy.<\/p>\n
The crucial issue that has raised confusion among the
\nlegislature leadership was Article 38 of the proposed bill on
\nelections of governors, regents and mayors that will be conducted
\nby an independent commission whose members would be recruited
\nfrom the General Election Commission (KPU) and local community
\nleaders, instead of provincial and regency legislatures.<\/p>\n
\"With the proposed amendment to the article, the central
\ngovernment is trying to reduce the legislatures's authority and,
\ntherefore, to kill democracy in the regions,\" Fathor Rasjid,
\nchairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction, said in
\nthe meeting.<\/p>\n
He warned that the provincial and regency legislatures
\nrepresented the people in the regions.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno insisted that the
\namendment of the two laws on regional autonomy and on fiscal
\nbalance were aimed at preventing the unitary state from
\ndeveloping into federal states.<\/p>\n
He said only conflicting and confusing articles would be
\namended. He cited Article 7 of the regional autonomy law because
\nit stipulates that regencies and mayoralties have authority in
\nall fields with the exception of defense, foreign affairs,
\nmonetary and court affairs.<\/p>\n
Hari also said the central government was reviewing hundreds
\nof local bylaws which were in contradiction to the two laws.
\n\"Such bylaws have been made by the regions because of
\nmisinterpretation of the laws,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Besides causing misinterpretations, the implementation of
\nregional autonomy has also raised a number of territorial
\ndisputes between the regions and the central government and among
\nprovinces and regencies.<\/p>\n
Surabaya Mayor Sunarto Sumaprawiro's dismissal on Jan. 16,
\n2002 has raised strong controversy with the central government
\nruling against it.<\/p>\n
Masjkur Hasyim, chairman of the joint faction, said many
\nregions have misinterpreted the laws because the central
\ngovernment had not yet issued other related laws and numerous
\nregulations to implement regional autonomy.<\/p>\n
\"The minister should not blame the regions for the
\nmisinterpretations but its own department that has failed to make
\nmore regulations to enforce the two laws,\" he said, adding that
\nso far, the central government has issued only around 40 of more
\nthan 110 government regulations needed to implement the autonomy.<\/p>\n
Hasyim warned that the Association of Regency and City
\nLegislatures (Adeksi) was lobbying all its members to oppose the
\nproposed amendments to the two laws.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/opposition-grows-against-autonomy-law-review-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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