Confident Jakarta 'ready for more autonomy'

Confident Jakarta 'ready for more autonomy'

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso feted the 474th anniversary of
Jakarta on Friday with a declaration that the nation's capital
was ready to accept greater responsibility, as well as duties,
from the central government under the new regional autonomy law.

Three years after some of the worst riots ever to have rocked
the city, the governor also expressed confidence that Jakarta and
its eight million residents were now far more "patient and
mature" in dealing with present and future challenges, including
those concerning security aspects.

To drive home his point, he said the capital had successfully
hosted a number of national and international events without a
hitch and was now ready for more.

"Imbued with the spirit of reform and national unity, Jakarta
is ready to put regional autonomy into effect," he pronounced in
a speech to the City Council marking the city's anniversary.

Sutiyoso stressed empowerment, public service and development
as the three basic principles underpinning the regional autonomy
policy.

He said that the responsibility for realizing the goals of
regional autonomy should not rest solely on the shoulders of the
administration, but should involve the entire population of the
capital.

The administration and City Council are currently in the
process of discussing a new bylaw on the organization of the
regional government so as to accommodate the newly gained
autonomy.

This would entail restructuring and reorganization that would
affect the number of city employees, he said without elaborating
whether or not this meant layoffs in the city administration.

The Law on Regional Autonomy, which came into force on Jan. 1,
gives the regions much greater power in managing their own
affairs. With the central government pressed for funds, the
arrangement means that the regions will have to generate much of
their financing locally.

Sutiyoso said that after the initial euphoria over democracy,
most Jakartans had now grasped the essence of real, dynamic life.

He described the majority of the city's residents as becoming
more "patient and mature" so that they were no longer so easily
roused or influenced by anarchic acts.

Jakarta has continued to see various demonstrations, almost on
a daily basis, over much of the past year, but most of them
passed off without incident. The latest protests this week were
over the 30 percent increases in domestic fuel prices.

In May 1998, student-led antigovernment demonstrations
combined with public protests over hikes in fuel prices led to
the massive unrest that eventually brought down the Soeharto
regime.

"The people of Jakarta have been able to discount the various
rumors that are circulating and the friction among the nation's
politicians, and have kept their heads cool and clear," Sutiyoso
said. "The people of Jakarta have managed to distinguish and
understand what is best for themselves, for their city's image,
for the environment."

Sutiyoso said that the May 1998 riots provided important
lessons in restoring economic activity and security in the
capital.

A number of important plenary sessions of the House of
Representatives, the conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,
the summit of the Group of 15 countries and other major events
this past year attested to the more conducive security situation
if Jakarta, he said.

The next big event that Jakarta would host was the Special
Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), currently
scheduled for Aug. 1.

The governor appealed to all residents to help maintain peace
and order in the capital in the run up to that event, which could
mean the launching of an impeachment process against President
Abdurrahman Wahid.

Notwithstanding many shortcomings, Sutiyoso said Jakarta
recorded many economic advances over the past year.

The economy grew by 3.62 percent in 2000, compared to a 1.29
percent contraction in 1999, and income per capita rose to Rp
6.06 million from Rp 5.02 million over the same period, he said.

The administration had also conducted various operations to
restore peace and order in the city, including a joint operation
with the Jakarta Police to crack down on hoodlums, or preman as
they are known locally, who have been blamed for many of the
security disruptions that have taken place in the city.

Sutiyoso, whose term of office is to end in 2002, also
promised to continue with his efforts to establish a clean
administration while at the same time improving the lot of city
officials. (04/emb)