Decentralization long overdue: Nored scholars
JAKARTA (JP): Two leading scholars welcomed President Soeharto's remarks that Indonesia should reassess the role of the central government and give more autonomy to the regions, but they said that decentralization is long overdue.
Historian Taufik Abdullah even pointed out that the current set up of the government has virtually eliminated the traditional administrative structures in some regions and runs counter to the 1945 Constitution.
Political scientist Miriam Budiardjo said Indonesia needs to speed up the changes that have been officially acknowledged as necessary, including decentralization.
President Soeharto on Tuesday said Indonesia needs to rethink the role of the government because there is no more room for a centralistic administration in a world that is rapidly changing.
Overt centralization of the government could also stunt the growth of creativity and initiatives in society, Soeharto said during a speech at the National Resilience Institute.
"Decentralization is a political, economic and social necessity," Taufik told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
"Excessive centralization could eventually threaten national unity," he added.
Miriam said that given that the necessity for decentralization has been acknowledged by President Soeharto, she was optimistic that "some day the President's idea will come true."
She recalled that last month's decision to reduce the number of seats reserved for the Armed Forces at the House of Representatives came from an idea that was launched three years ago. "I raised the idea in 1992, and now there is some progress to this effect," she said.
The House last month enacted the bill that reduced the military seats in the House from 100 to 75, leaving 425 to be contested by the three political organizations at the general election. The reduction will take effect after the 1997 polls.
Miriam warned that in the case of decentralizing the government, Indonesia might need to speed things up. "The young generation is impatient because changes are very slow here."
The government in April launched a trial run of regional autonomy, giving greater authority and responsibility to 26 selected regency administrations. The project runs for two years and if successful, will be implemented nationwide.
The project itself is long overdue as it is based on a legislation enacted as far back as 1974.
Miriam and Taufik believe that the delay has been caused by national trauma caused by the bitter experiences of dealing with regional revolts in the 1950s.
Reluctance
Taufik, however, said the reluctance in giving the regions greater autonomy has been costly to the nation. "The most devastating effect is that the current structure has blunted the regions of new ideas and initiatives."
He cited as an example that various national awards are given using yardsticks set by the central government.
"Recipients of awards, such as the Parasamya Purnakarya Nugraha which are given to regional administrations in recognition for their development efforts, are given to those which can best interpret the standards of the central government."
Taufik saw an opportunity to restore some of the previously existing traditional administrative structures through the current trial run of the regional autonomy program.
"Part of the traditional structures should be returned to regions while the central administration retains some general authority," he said.
Ironically, he noted that the current form of regional administrations, all the way down to village-level offices, have been brought into uniformity by the 1974 law on regional autonomy.
This is contrary to the spirit of the 1945 Constitution which recognizes traditional structures within the unitary state, such as the nagari in Minangkabau and the traditional rights, he said.
The Minangkabau is the dominant ethnic group in West Sumatra.
The 1974 law overlooked traditional differences between village structures in Java and Maluku, Taufik said citing an example. "Villages are in disarray because the structures ruled in the 1974 law are more appropriate to villages in Java," he added. (anr)