Govt backs down on plan to revise autonomy law
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The government has backtracked on its earlier decision to review a law on regional autonomy and agreed to wait until an evaluation of the legislation is completed before making changes.
Speaking at the second national working meeting of the Association of Regency Administrations (Apkasi) here on Wednesday, Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno announced the government's decision not to review Law No. 22/1999 on regional autonomy as demanded by regional administrations.
The decision received noisy applause from around 150 regents who attended the meeting.
A proposal for revision of the law came from former director general of regional autonomy Sudarsono, who insisted that the law needed revision due to irregularities, particularly concerning budget allocations and the elections of the heads of regional administrations.
One of the most controversial contents of the draft of amendments to the law is an article that allows the president to dissolve regional legislatures.
Sudarsono's proposal resulted in strained relations between the central government and regency administrations, who suspected that it was only a ploy to return to a centralized system.
The threat issued by 48 regencies on Monday to blockade oil and gas operations due to a disappointing revenue split is the latest example of conflict between the central government and local governments in the wake of regional autonomy implementation.
Hari called on regional administrations to strive for improvements in the implementation of the law.
"It is time we took strategic measures to keep our commitment ... that regional autonomy is mandated by Article 18 of the 1945 Constitution and that the government is committed to improving the law and will not return to a centralized system," Hari said, as quoted by Antara.
The minister also called for close cooperation between the central government and provincial, regency as well as municipal administrations in implementing the law, to disseminate the law and to educate people on its implications.
Apkasi chairman Syaukani HR welcomed the decision as an encouraging shift from the government's earlier decision.
"This is an encouraging change after (the government) seemed to backtrack on regional autonomy simply because of some irregularities," said Syaukani.
"There is a better understanding on regional autonomy among regional administrations, thanks to efforts from the new director general of regional autonomy," he said, referring to Oentarto, Sudarsono's predecessor.
Meanwhile, Oentarto said he would issue operational regulations to support the implementation of the autonomy law. The regulations would deal with specific needs of certain regions, including their authority in maritime matters, forestry and port management, he said.