Picking our own leaders<\/p>\n
First implemented by the government of Abdurrahman Wahid in
\n2001, the law on regional autonomy (Law No. 22\/1999) has been
\nrevised by the outgoing members of the House of Representatives.
\nThe revision was endorsed last Wednesday by the House members
\nculminating years of intense public debate involving the central
\nand local governments, experts, non-government organizations,
\nbusinessmen and the public.<\/p>\n
The government submitted the bill for the revision of the law
\nto the House on Feb. 9 after the implementation of the law had
\nclearly stalled for a number of reasons. One reason was confusion
\nover contradictory rulings.<\/p>\n
A survey by Regional Autonomy Watch found that 30 percent of
\nthe 1,200 bylaws issued by local governments either contradicted
\none another or contravened various laws issued by the central
\ngovernment. Another reason was the unclear definition of the
\nauthority of the central government, the provincial
\nadministrations and the regional administrations.<\/p>\n
The revised law has made it possible for the people in the
\nregions to pick their own leaders for the first time. This is a
\ntremendous step forward that should be commended, although it is
\nnot actually new for villagers. Leaders at the village level in
\nmany provinces have traditionally been selected by the villagers
\nthemselves. So, curiously enough, democracy is actually moving
\nfrom the village to the central government level.<\/p>\n
In the past, the central government and the regional
\nlegislature have been instrumental in deciding provincial
\nleaders. One of the implications of the revised law, is that
\nIndonesia will hold around 170 elections for local leaders
\nnationwide, including several governors down to regents, in June
\n2005.<\/p>\n
One drawback of this revised law, however, is that candidates
\nhave to come from a political party or a coalition of political
\nparties. There is no opportunity for independent leaders to come
\nforward, unless they can garner overwhelming support.<\/p>\n
Tension between the central and local governments over the
\ndefinition of their respective powers has a deep history.
\nWariness stemming from mutual distrust is still apparent in the
\nrevision, with the central government retaining its power to
\ndismiss local leaders. That is, if the leaders are guilty of
\ncrimes like corruption, acts of terrorism, treason and other
\nactivities perceived as a threat to security.<\/p>\n
It may be too much to ask for the tension to subside
\ndramatically considering that the law is only four years old
\nwhile the issues governing the relations between the two entities
\nare deep and complex. The revision would surely reduce the
\ntension between the central and local governments but it is but a
\nsmall step toward a less centralistic style of government. We
\nhave to bear in mind that problems arising from the tension are
\nbound to surface. But as long as goodwill prevails in addressing
\nthose problems, there is no reason why we can't keep on moving
\ntoward a better and more mature interaction between the central
\nand regional governments.<\/p>\n
Federalism, which may sound alarming to many Indonesian
\npoliticians due to unfortunate complications with the system in
\nthe past, is not entirely evil. Less centralistic governments,
\nlike the United States or Finland, can still demonstrate a fine
\nexample of good governance. The revision of the Autonomy Law has
\nblown the winds of optimism in that direction.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/picking-our-own-leaders-1447893297",
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