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)