City gets House support for asset takeover bid

JAKARTA (JP): Legislators on Monday promised to give political support to the city administration in its efforts to take over several valuable assets in the capital ahead of next month's implementation of regional autonomy.

The money-spinning assets, mostly recreational parks, toll roads and important public facilities, are currently managed by the central government through the State Secretariat and private institutions, particularly those linked with the family of former president Soeharto.

"Places such as the Senayan Stadium and Sports Complex, the Tanjung Priok (international) seaport, Kemayoran business and residential complex, toll roads, and the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah park should be under the authority of the city administration," House of Representatives Deputy Speaker A.M. Fatwa told reporters after a working meeting between Governor Sutiyoso and the members of House Commission IV on transportation and infrastructure at the City Hall.

According to Fatwa, the House legislators would do their best, including summoning ministers should they refuse to meet the demands, to help the city claim the businesses.

Such efforts, he said, were in line with Law No. 22/1999 on regional autonomy which stated that all assets located in the region should be under the authority of the respective region's administration.

"Governor Sutiyoso should not hesitate in asking for these places and if some ministers in the central government try to hamper the effort, the House will summon them," Fatwa remarked.

"In line with the implementation of regional autonomy, not all aspects of the businesses now run by the State Secretariat in the capital should be handed over to the Jakarta Administration," he said.

The city administration, for example, could engage in profit- sharing schemes with the central government in respect of these businesses and there should be government regulations that clearly regulate the details of such deals.

The implementation of regional autonomy is slated to enter into effect nationwide starting Jan. 1. Ahead of the plan, Governor Sutiyoso and many top city officials have repeatedly declared their intention of taking over the Senayan complex and the vast business and residential area at the site of the former Kemayoran Airport, both in Central Jakarta.

The two places are currently under the management of the State Secretariat, which is directly under the President.

Only a small portion of the hundreds of millions of rupiah collected every day by operators of toll roads across the capital goes to the city budget. The same applies to the huge amount of money earned by the operators of the Tanjung Priok port.

Delighted with the legislators' support, Governor Sutiyoso, after the meeting, said that he would use the support of the House to obtain these assets for the benefit of Jakarta and its people.

His office, he said, had also been trying to lobby various central government officials so as to be allowed to take over the assets.

"Of course, I was glad to receive the support because, according to the law, these places should be under the city government's control, but so far there haven't been any signs about how the transfer will be carried out," Sutiyoso said.

"We need a Government Regulation transferring the authority over these businesses Besides, the city administration will only manage these places," he said.

The earnings realized by the city administration would, in turn, also benefit the central government as most of the government's activities take place in the capital. (dja)