Banten's reorganization underway

Banten's reorganization underway

By Ridwan M. Sijabat

SERANG, Banten (JP): With the deadline to establish the
institutional infrastructure of Banten province just two months
away, efforts are in full swing in the new province to put a
working provincial administration and legislature in place.

These efforts, headed by M. Hakamuddin Djamal, who was
appointed acting governor of the province, and Diding Kurniadi,
who is the acting provincial secretary, are even more crucial
because Banten, one of the first of a number of newly established
provinces, could become a test case for others.

Djamal, who was sworn in on Nov. 18, quickly set up a 10-
member team to assist him in designing the provincial
bureaucracy.

He has coordinated with the General Elections Committee to set
up a five-member committee to prepare for provincial council
elections.

"In accordance with Presidential Decree No. 110, issued on
July 26, 2000, my main task is to form a permanent and effective
provincial government and a provincial legislature as well," he
told The Jakarta Post at his office here.

In drawing up the organization of the provincial
administration, Djamal, along with the 10-member team, has
decided on three assistants to the governor, eight bureaus and
sub-bureaus and a number of sectoral sections.

The 10-member team, led by Amur Muchasim, the former
secretary-general at the Ministry of Home Affairs and Regional
Autonomy, has put in place strict regulations regarding
recruitment. These regulations require certain qualifications for
all positions in the hierarchy in an effort to make the
provincial bureaucracy effective and efficient.

The next governor will have three assistants who have
expertise and experience in finance and accounting, public
administration, policy and planning, development, law, politics,
human rights and the environment.

The presidential decree stipulates that officials assisting
the governor must have a strong commitment to upholding democracy
and justice, a wide knowledge of political parties and general
elections, and strong leadership skills. They must not be members
or functionaries of any political party and they must come from
the bureaucracy.

In line with the decree, the number of seats in the provincial
council will be 75, with 10 percent of the seats, or eight, being
filled by the Indonesian Military and the National Police.

Another 16 members of the West Java legislative council who
are natives of Banten will be transferred to the Banten
provincial council.

Provincial chapters of political parties will contest the
remaining 51 council seats.

The political situation in the province has become heated in
recent months as parties have begun campaigning for these seats.

Asserting that he was not attempting to interfere in the
internal affairs of political parties, Djamal said party members
should be chosen for the provincial legislative council through
democratic mechanisms in order to avoid unrest, as well as to
educate locals on the values of democracy.

"Political parties should learn from the chaotic situation in
the Pandeglang regency council following the council's recent
decision to suspend its chairman Encep Daden, despite the fact
the he won the local elections," he said, adding that the
situation was a sign that the people and the political elite were
unprepared for democracy.

Djamal said West Java province was providing some Rp 30
billion to help Banten establish its provincial government.

Asked about possible gubernatorial candidates, Djamal said
many names had been raised.

"Several names, including Ekky Syachruddin and Aly Yahya, both
Golkar Party legislators, Suherlan, who is a local businessman,
Tubagus Rais, a former Jakarta deputy governor, and Herman
Haeruman, an official with the National Planning Board, have
frequently been raised. But the province still has many other
figures who are considered suitable to lead the new province."

Ekky is expected to withdraw his name as a potential candidate
because he has been named a candidate to become's Indonesia's
ambassador to Canada.

Djamal said he had no interest in the province's top post
because his family was not originally from Banten.

He said the public should not pay too much attention to the
gubernatorial candidates, adding that of the greatest importance
was the provincial administration's ability to create a
democratic climate and improve its service to the people.

"Regional autonomy has as its main goal improving the quality
of democracy and the government's service to the public, as well
as to better the people's welfare," he said.