Autonomy council to be formed

Autonomy council to be formed

BANDUNG: The government will establish a Regional Autonomy
Advisory Council (DPOP) in June which will study a proposal to
make West Java's Banten area a separate province.

State Minister of Regional Autonomy Ryaas Rasyid said over the
weekend that the Banten issue would have first priority because
the draft to declare Banten a separate province had already being
discussed by the House of Representatives (DPR).

"Because the draft (for the Banten area) has been submitted to
the House we have to deal with it first," Ryaas announced on
Saturday.

Ryaas said the council would have the authority to examine and
recommend the establishment of new provinces. So far the ministry
has received proposals from five areas to be declared separate
provinces and 65 areas to become new regencies.

To form a new province, the ministry has to ensure that the
proposed area can increase the prosperity of the local people
over the next 10 years.

"The new provinces should increase the prosperity of the
people, not the political elite," Ryaas remarked.(25/dja)