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)