Disband regional councils

Disband regional councils

From Media Indonesia

The Dec. 2-8 issue of Tempo magazine reported in its Events Column that 54 members of the West Sumatra provincial council would shortly be interrogated by the provincial prosecutor's office for alleged corruption surrounding West Sumatra's 2002 provincial budget. The West Sumatra prosecutor's office has obtained permission from the home minister for the interrogation.

The impending interrogation of these members of the West Sumatra Council is the fruit of the struggle being waged by a number of non-governmental organizations, academics, university students and the West Sumatra public under the Forum of Care for West Sumatra (FPSB).

The forum reported this alleged corruption to the provincial prosecutor's office. In its report, FPSB highlighted five things: the allocation of Rp 1.296 billion for welfare benefits, Rp 600 million for honorary benefits, Rp 641 million to rent houses for the chairman and members of the council, and Rp 797 million for official trips by council members.

FPSB deserves our praise for its work, as the home minister has responded positively to its report.

We hope that what FPSB has done in West Sumatra will serve as a model for other forums in other provinces. I believe the FPSB can cover more things in their struggle so that after the 2004 elections the provincial council can be disbanded. Regional autonomy is based on regencies/municipalities, not on provinces, as is the case today.

As far as I can remember, when Bung Hatta led the central government in Bukittinggi in 1947 he drew up a plan that would have governors acting only as commissioners of the central government. There would be no need for deputy governors or provincial councils.

Regional autonomy is based on regencies and municipalities, and below this level you have villages with their rural representatives. Unfortunately, Bung Hatta's plan could not be realized because of the Dutch Second Act of Aggression on Dec. 19, 1948.

Hopefully, the FPSB, based on the regional autonomy law, will be able to work together with similar forums from other provinces to have provincial councils across Indonesia disbanded after the 2004 general election. And in truth, provincial councils have done practically nothing. Their existence is a mere waste of money. Besides, they also are a source of corruption. The fact is that in several regions in Indonesia regents no longer heed their governors.

H, SLAMAT SM

Cirebon, West Java