Government completes autonomy revision

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government has completed the draft revision of the 1999 autonomy law, which will take back some of the power it dispensed to local authorities.

Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said on Wednesday that the revision would ease difficulties facing the central government in managing the country with autonomy placed in the hands of regents.

"It is impossible for the central government to supervise 416 regencies at the same time, so we decided to expand the role of the governors," Hari said before meeting with President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

"With the revision, we will have a stronger administrative hierarchy and therefore the authority of provinces will be expanded."

He said that since its implementation in 2000, regional autonomy had resulted in many flaws.

Megawati ordered the revision of the law when she assumed power in July 2001, on the grounds autonomy threatened national unity.

She has repeatedly said that regencies had excessively exercised their authorities for the sake of revenue, but failed to improve people's welfare and preserve natural resources.

The revision plan has been met with strong resistance from regents across the country.

Hari said the revision was not aimed at weakening regional autonomy, but to correct mismanagement taking place in the past three years.

"We have to provide a clear outline of what the authorities of the regencies and governors will be."

Apart from the controversial plan to curb the power of regional administrations, the draft stipulates direct election of regents, mayors and governors, reminiscent of the landmark direct presidential election to be held next year.

With the change in the election system, articles on the relations between the regional heads and the local legislature need revision too.

The government has also revised the articles on the financial allocation between Jakarta and regencies, as well as articles on the sea borders between the regencies.

Hari said the draft would be presented to the President and Cabinet before it was submitted to the House of Representatives, the dates of which were undecided.