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.