Government ready to submit bill on Maluku development
Government ready to submit bill on Maluku development
JAKARTA (JP): The government will submit next week a bill to
the House of Representatives that would divide Maluku into two
provinces, an official said on Wednesday.
Ryaas Rasyid, director general of public administration and
regional autonomy, said here on Wednesday the move was expected
to ease tension in the northern part of Maluku.
He said the draft was given to the state secretariat on
Wednesday for presidential approval before being submitted to the
House.
"We expect the bill deliberation to begin as soon as possible,
mainly to meet the serious demands that Maluku be separated into
two provinces," he said.
If the bill is enacted into law, the two provinces will be
named North Maluku and Southeast Maluku.
Ryaas also said that the government was completing another
draft law to separate mineral-rich Irian Jaya into five
provinces.
It remains unclear whether the two bills to establish new
provinces in Maluku and Irian Jaya will be jointly deliberated at
the House.
President B.J. Habibie had suggested that the plan to divide
Maluku and Irian Jaya into several provinces be completed before
the June 7 polls. But the proposal was moved back, out of fears
that it would play havoc with the country's preparations for the
elections.
Meanwhile, tension prevailed in Ternate municipality and North
Maluku regency on Wednesday as business and social activities
remained on hold following an overnight mass rally to push for a
separate province from their southern neighbors.
Government offices, markets and shops were closed, with only a
few public transportation vehicles operating, Antara reported.
The local telecommunications and post offices, a photo studio and
a restaurant were the only businesses seen open in Ternate.
Hundreds of military and police troops were seen guarding
public buildings and facilities, while many others stood by on
major streets.
Some shopkeepers told the news agency they were taking a break
to anticipate unrest. "We were suggested to do so. We're afraid
that irresponsible people will provoke the crowd to attack our
businesses," Susanto, a shopkeeper in the Ternate subdistrict of
Gamalama, said.
Thousands of people, including many students, marched through
Ternate on Tuesday to demand the northern part of the troubled
province become a separate province.
No violence was reported, although hundreds of police and
military personnel were on guard as the demonstrators marched to
the regent's office.
In their speeches, the students threatened to occupy all
government offices in Ternate and North Maluku unless Jakarta
heeded their demands.
Last week, Central Halmahera Regent Bahar Andili, North Maluku
Regent Abdullah Assagaf and Ternate Mayor Syamsir Andili openly
threw their weight behind the separation movement, saying they
would give up their posts if the government rejected the demand.
The northern part of Maluku, which is predominantly Muslim,
consists of three secondary-level administrative regions.
Sectarian conflicts have jolted many sections of the province,
including North Maluku, in the six months, claiming over 400
lives.(rms/amd)
JAKARTA (JP): The government will submit next week a bill to
the House of Representatives that would divide Maluku into two
provinces, an official said on Wednesday.
Ryaas Rasyid, director general of public administration and
regional autonomy, said here on Wednesday the move was expected
to ease tension in the northern part of Maluku.
He said the draft was given to the state secretariat on
Wednesday for presidential approval before being submitted to the
House.
"We expect the bill deliberation to begin as soon as possible,
mainly to meet the serious demands that Maluku be separated into
two provinces," he said.
If the bill is enacted into law, the two provinces will be
named North Maluku and Southeast Maluku.
Ryaas also said that the government was completing another
draft law to separate mineral-rich Irian Jaya into five
provinces.
It remains unclear whether the two bills to establish new
provinces in Maluku and Irian Jaya will be jointly deliberated at
the House.
President B.J. Habibie had suggested that the plan to divide
Maluku and Irian Jaya into several provinces be completed before
the June 7 polls. But the proposal was moved back, out of fears
that it would play havoc with the country's preparations for the
elections.
Meanwhile, tension prevailed in Ternate municipality and North
Maluku regency on Wednesday as business and social activities
remained on hold following an overnight mass rally to push for a
separate province from their southern neighbors.
Government offices, markets and shops were closed, with only a
few public transportation vehicles operating, Antara reported.
The local telecommunications and post offices, a photo studio and
a restaurant were the only businesses seen open in Ternate.
Hundreds of military and police troops were seen guarding
public buildings and facilities, while many others stood by on
major streets.
Some shopkeepers told the news agency they were taking a break
to anticipate unrest. "We were suggested to do so. We're afraid
that irresponsible people will provoke the crowd to attack our
businesses," Susanto, a shopkeeper in the Ternate subdistrict of
Gamalama, said.
Thousands of people, including many students, marched through
Ternate on Tuesday to demand the northern part of the troubled
province become a separate province.
No violence was reported, although hundreds of police and
military personnel were on guard as the demonstrators marched to
the regent's office.
In their speeches, the students threatened to occupy all
government offices in Ternate and North Maluku unless Jakarta
heeded their demands.
Last week, Central Halmahera Regent Bahar Andili, North Maluku
Regent Abdullah Assagaf and Ternate Mayor Syamsir Andili openly
threw their weight behind the separation movement, saying they
would give up their posts if the government rejected the demand.
The northern part of Maluku, which is predominantly Muslim,
consists of three secondary-level administrative regions.
Sectarian conflicts have jolted many sections of the province,
including North Maluku, in the six months, claiming over 400
lives.(rms/amd)