Plan to revise regional autonomy law critized<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Former regional autonomy minister Ryaas Rasyid criticized on
\nWednesday the plan to revise the regional autonomy law, which has
\nbeen in force since earlier this year, arguing that such a
\nrevision was not necessary.<\/p>\n
\"What we need now is not a revision, but rather support, in
\nthe form of government regulations and presidential decrees,\"
\nRyaas said at a conference on constitutional review.<\/p>\n
Ryaas said that the underlying problem was that the government
\nwas not ready to issue the hundreds of supporting regulations
\nbadly needed for the implementation of the regional autonomy law.<\/p>\n
The government is currently revising the law on regional
\nautonomy in a move to reduce regency administrations' control
\nover natural and financial resources.<\/p>\n
Former minister of home affairs and regional autonomy Surjadi
\nSoedirdja said earlier that amendment of the law was needed as
\npart of the government's efforts to \"support local growth without
\nsacrificing national unity.\"<\/p>\n
Surjadi said that the law contained regulations that allowed
\nregional administrations to become overly independent to a point
\nthat threatened to cause national disintegration.<\/p>\n
\"Such a problem would not occur if the government were ready
\nwith supporting regulations,\" Ryaas said at the conference
\norganized by the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance
\n(IDEA).<\/p>\n
Ryaas cited as an example that the government could issue a
\nregulation authorizing governors to directly supervise the
\nactivities of mayors and regents.<\/p>\n
Ryaas, who was the main person responsible for drafting the
\nregional autonomy law, said that the revision showed
\nunpreparedness on the part of central government to hand over
\nparts of its authority to regional administrations.<\/p>\n
He explained that he frequently became the target of criticism
\nby his fellow ministers who were not happy with his ideas when he
\nwas the regional autonomy minister.<\/p>\n
\"Of course they were not happy with my ideas because if they
\nwere implemented, they would lose some of their authority.
\nTherefore I used to be branded a source of conflict by former
\npresident Abdurrahman Wahid,\" said Ryaas.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/plan-to-revise-regional-autonomy-law-critized-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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