Do not restrict regions

Do not restrict regions

From Bisnis Indonesia

I refer to the statement of State Minister of Regional
Autonomy Ryaas Rasyid in Bisnis Indonesia of July, 21, titled
Autonomous regions shall not issue unilateral regulations. As a
citizen of an autonomous region, I dare say it was not quite wise
of the state minister to make that statement because it is
against the central government's current policy on autonomous
regions. The policy defines that the regions are authorized to
make any regulations for the interests and welfare of their
respective people, whereas he said the central government had a
mechanism capable of canceling any autonomous regions'
regulations made in the framework of their autonomy.

The statement will no doubt discourage autonomous regional
governments from controlling over their own regions' affairs,
including the economy, trade, investment and industry. Foreign
investors in particular would worry about their investments in
the regions since the central government could cancel any
agreement made with the autonomous regional governments. Those
wishing to invest in the regions would think twice before they
decided to do so.

In view of the above, I'd like to appeal to the House of
Representatives to kindly ask the state minister to clarify his
statement, and should he propose a bill on the matter, the House
should absolutely reject it.

B.Q. VEGA

Jakarta