Banten province?

Banten province?

From Rakyat Merdeka

There are intensified demands in the Banten community to separate from West Java province. The people of the regency have become more aggressive in stating their aims; the Forum of the Bantenese Students Movement (Forban) warned the government, during a demonstration held at the House of Representatives on Dec. 7, 1999, that "Banten must be made a province in the year 2000 at the latest" (Rakyat Merdeka, Dec. 8)

Indeed, everybody has the right to express oneself. However, for Banten to become a province many factors and aspects must be taken into account -- its geographical setting, judicial status, sociological, cultural as well as historical background, etc. The negative implications for the West Java community also must be considered.

Cirebon regency once wanted to become a province. In course of time, the demand receded and is no longer heard.

Former minister of population and environment Dr. Emil Salim had a concept that Bogor, Tangerang and Bekasi (BOTABEK) would be transformed into a self-administered region, with a governor possessing the ministerial capacity as its head. It would mean that the BOTABEK region was no longer part of West Java province. The concept was not realized. The more realistic idea was to include the BOTABEK region in the Jakarta metropolitan administration.

Should all these separatist ideas become a reality what would be left for West Java province? The province would dissolve. How tragic!

If the past authoritarian-style of the central government (i.e. a product of president Soeharto's regime) is behind the idea of separation, Bantenese elders may hold a dialog and deliberate on the matters. They must not keep silent. Silence is not always golden.

MUSTAFFA RIDWAN

Cirebon, West Java