Endorsement sought for bill on water resources
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The House of Representatives' working committee is working around the clock to finish the deliberation of the water resource bill, despite the mounting protests of nongovernmental organizations.
Committee member Erwin Pardede of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said on Friday no crucial changes had been made to the original draft, which allows private companies to control water resources for commercial purposes.
He said, as of Friday, 31 of 97 articles in the draft had been agreed upon by both the lawmakers and the government, which was represented by officials from the Ministry of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure and the National Development Planning Board.
"We will have to finish the deliberation at noon tomorrow at the latest and submit it immediately to the special committee for approval," Erwin said. "Besides we have to checkout tomorrow."
Some 50 legislators and government officials have been debating the bill at the Imperial Hotel in the Tangerang area of Karawaci since Monday.
A lawmaker who requested anonymity told The Jakarta Post the special committee had asked for a plenary House session to pass the bill on Sept. 23.
NGO activists have alleged the precipitation of the bill's endorsement by the House is connected with the World Bank disbursement of a US$300 million loan, under the Water Resources Sector Adjustment Loan (WATSAL).
Erwin admitted he heard about the government's effort to obtain the loan, but said "with or without WATSAL we need a water resource law."
The Business Watch Indonesia (BWI) report says that under the WATSAL scheme, the World Bank will disburse the loan in three stages. The first $50 million was disbursed in June 1999 and the second disbursement amounting to $100 was made at the end of 2001. The remaining $150 million will be disbursed once Indonesia completes its water reform initiative, which includes the enforcement of a water resource law that allows the privatization of the water sector.
Nila Ardhani from the Indonesian Forum on Globalization (Infog) said on Friday many NGOs did not oppose the bill, but its articles that are prone to multi-interpretation.
"The bill, for example, does not strictly define to what extent private companies are allowed to manage the water sector. It also fails to guarantee people's access to water. Millions of Indonesian people are farmers who rely much on water," she said.
She criticized the legislators and government for interpreting public participation in water management as providing opportunities for private companies.
"The House does not learn from the case in Jakarta, where the privatization of the water sector has taken place but has failed to provide enough tap water for people," Nila said.
The Indonesian Forum of Environment (Walhi) said that, if passed, the water resource law would spark social unrest and nationwide resistance because it would allow private companies, both domestic and foreign, to control water resources -- including part of a river -- for their own interests.
"There will be the sharing of the control of water resources among the private sector, so that it will close people's access to water for daily needs and social purposes. The bill should have anticipated conflicts over water resources," a Walhi campaigner Raja Siregar said.