City gets House support for asset takeover bid

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)