Govt firm on greater regional autonomy
Govt firm on greater regional autonomy
JAKARTA (JP): The government is steadfast in its plan to delegate, for a trial period, greater autonomy to 26 selected regencies despite several ministries' objections, a senior official said yesterday.
Director general for Public Administration and Regional Autonomy of the Home Affairs Ministry, Sumitro Maskun, said that basically all ministries support the plan.
"But some (ministries) are not sure to what extent they will empower regency administrations to manage affairs," he told reporters.
Sumitro was commenting on objections from three ministries, the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Information and the Ministry of Religious Affairs, to delegating part of their authorities to regency government.
The three ministries are reportedly still discuss their stance on the autonomy projects with the State Ministry of Administrative Reforms. Maskun said he is yet to find out what authorities the three ministries refuse to delegate.
President Soeharto is scheduled to launch the autonomy pilot projects on the 26 regencies on April 3 in Kalimantan. Each of the regencies will receive Rp 60 million ($28,000) to implement the program.
Preparations for the launching, according to Sumitro, has been going on despite the three ministries' objections. "The autonomy (pilot projects) will go on," he said.
Critics say the government has been very slow in implementing autonomy. Indonesia passed the law on regional autonomy in 1974 and the trial period only begins next month.
Under the pilot project, greater autonomy to manage resources will be given to more affluent regencies.
Sumitro said there is fear in some ministries that regency governments will have too much independence in minding their affairs once they obtain autonomy.
He insisted that the fear is unnecessary because the basic and "strategic" policy will remain in the hands of the central government.
"The central government will not insist on giving greater autonomy to regencies which are not ready for it," he said. (29)