Government says autonomy law ready in 2000
Government says autonomy law ready in 2000
JAKARTA (JP): The government has pledged to implement the laws
on regional autonomy and fiscal balance between central and local
governments in January.
State Minister of Regional Autonomy Ryaas Rasyid told
reporters on Monday the central government would negotiate with
each provincial government on their potential before granting the
autonomy status.
"There is no single standard for every region any longer. The
type of autonomy for each region will be different depending on
the negotiations," Ryaas said on the sidelines of a hearing with
the House of Representatives Commission II on law and home
affairs.
While the talks proceed, the government would complete all
necessary supporting regulations, according to the minister.
The two laws will take effect in 2001, but Ryaas said the
increasing demand for independence and the unabated unrest in
several regions had motivated the government to hasten the
implementation of the laws.
"Autonomy can be the answer to all the problems of separatism.
It can serve as an adhesive for the unitary state of Indonesia,"
he added.
Ryaas said autonomy in forestry, plantations, and land affairs
would top the priority list of authorities to be handed over to
the local governments. Autonomy in education and health affairs
would follow, he added.
Citing an example, he said the government would go ahead with
its plan to scrap the Land Affairs Agency (BPN) and let each
province manage its own land affairs.
"There are regions which may have no natural resources, but I
believe land is an asset for every region," he said. His remark
on BPN's closure has sparked controversy.
He said his office would also coordinate with all institutions
in the central government and transfer the authorities and
personnel to local governments and help them establish identical
institutions.
Ryaas criticized a widespread perception which reduces
autonomy to profit sharing only.
"It is a transfer of authority to regional administration to
handle its own home affairs, including revenue making, even for
regions which are not blessed with natural resources."
However, Ryaas refused to comment on special autonomy for
Aceh, saying: "The Aceh matter has nothing to do with regional
autonomy, because it is a political issue. Regional autonomy can
apply in Aceh only if there is a reconciliation".
Federal State
Meanwhile, in Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi,
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien Rais finally
met with students, who had in the past month been demanding
independence or a federal state for the country.
Amien was originally scheduled to meet with the students two
weeks ago.
"In a bid to accommodate the widespread independence demands,
we urged for an amendment to Article 1 in the 1945 Constitution
on the unitary state of Indonesia," student leader Iswary Al-
Farizi told Amien.
In response to the students' calls, Amien promised to bring
the federalism demand to the MPR working committee, which would
complete deliberation on the Constitution's amendments.
The MPR committee is slated to resume working on Thursday.
The hearing ended with an acrimonious debate on whether Amien
had to sign a statement which gives the MPR six months to answer
the demand for federalism.
Amien, MPR Deputy Speaker Nasri Adlani and South Sulawesi
Governor Z.B. Palaguna decided to leave the compound amid tight
security and departed in an armored car. (02/27/30/37/edt)