Government completes autonomy revision

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.