Govt plans to rebuild Banda Aceh 'like Putrajaya in Malaysia'
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
The government is planning to reconstruct Banda Aceh, which was devastated by the Dec. 26 giant earthquake and tidal waves, into a modern city resembling Malaysia's Putrajaya, a Cabinet minister says.
State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra said on Monday that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has ordered him and Minister of Public Works Djoko Kirmanto to meet Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi in a bid to learn from the neighboring country about the construction of Putrajaya.
Susilo acknowledged that Malaysia had successfully built Putrajasa as a modern city by preserving its combination of Islamic values and local traditions, Yusril told the press after a breakfast meeting with the President in Jakarta.
"The city planning (for Banda Aceh) will reflect the special autonomy status of Aceh, which implements the principles of Islam and local cultures," Yusril said.
Putrajaya, some 50 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur, serves as the Malaysian center of administration. Its largely European- influenced architecture also displays Malay and Islamic elements.
One of the city's striking features is Putra Mosque, which incorporates Islamic architecture from countries such as Turkestan, Kazakzstan and Morocco.
Aceh enforced syaria (Islamic law) after it was granted by the central government special autonomy status, which was apparently aimed at appeasing separatism in the province.
Yusril said the central government would start the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Banda Aceh -- the capital of Aceh province -- after March 26, 2005, when a Special Authority Board (BOK) is formed.
The President also ordered the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas), and the offices of the state secretary and the Cabinet secretary to prepare the establishment of BOK, which would oversee the overall reconstruction and rehabilitation of Aceh.
Yusril said the three government institutions are drafting a presidential decree to establish the special agency in Aceh.
"The President has ordered Bappenas, the state secretary and the Cabinet secretary to prepare for the establishment of BOK, as the emergency response in Aceh will end by March 26, and the agency will be in charge of rehabilitation and reconstruction after that," he said.
Yusril said the government must consider various aspects before setting up BOK, so it would not overlap with other existing institutions such as the National Coordinating Body for Disaster and Refugee Management (Bakornas PBP) and the provincial administration in Aceh, which is responsible for the special autonomy status.
The minister said Vice President Jusuf Kalla has suggested that the Banda Aceh-based Syah Kuala University and prominent figures in Aceh be involved in the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts.
"We must be very careful," Yusril said, without elaborating.
Yusril asserted that BOK would not take over the duties of the Aceh provincial administration.
"There will be no overlapping between the authorities of the Aceh administration and the central government," he added.
The plan to form BOK was approved by President Susilo and House of Representatives leaders during a meeting a week ago in Jakarta.
It came after heavy criticism, including from the President, over the lack of coordination and poor performance of Bakornas, which is led by the Vice President, in distributing relief aid for the tsunami victims.
The headquarters of BOK will be in Aceh. It will be led by an official of the same level as a minister and directly responsible to the President.