House endorses law on 12 new mayoralties
House endorses law on 12 new mayoralties
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives passed into law on
Monday a bill on the development of 12 mayoralties in eight
provinces.
The law on the 12 new mayoralties was endorsed during a
plenary session presided by deputy House Speaker Soetarjo
Soerjogoeritno. Minister of Home Affairs and Regional Autonomy
Surjadi Sudirdja represented the government in the plenary
meeting.
The 12 new mayoralties are Lhokseumawe and Langsa in Aceh
province; Padang Sidempuan in North Sumatra; Tanjung Pinang in
Riau; Lubuk Linggau, Pagar Alam and Prabumulih in South Sumatra;
Cimahi and Tasikmalaya in West Java; Singkawang in West
Kalimantan; Batu in East Java; and Bau-bau in Southeast Sulawesi.
Surjadi said the new law would come into effect after it was
signed by the President and registered in the Ministry of Justice
and Human Rights.
He said the 12 cities were developed into new mayoralties
because they have met all the official requirements, as
stipulated by the 1999 law on regional autonomy and on fiscal
balance.
"The government submitted the bill on the development of the
12 cities into mayoralties after conducting an in-depth study and
receiving recommendations from the Regional Autonomy Advisory
Board (DPOD)," Surjadi said, citing economic potential,
population and culture as three important factors that were taken
into consideration.
The main objective to develop the 12 towns into mayoralties
was to improve their population's social welfare by improving
local government services, he announced.
Surjadi further added that the government would immediately
appoint acting mayors to form the new mayoralties' administrative
organization, including their own legislative council.
Amien Aryoso, chairman of the House's Commission II on home
and legal affairs, hailed the development of the 12 new
mayoralties as a sign of the government's goodwill to improve its
service to the public.
"The development of the 12 new mayoralties must be seen as the
government's political will to improve the public's social
welfare and to develop democracy," he said.
Meanwhile, Surjadi also took the opportunity to express his
disappointment that so many regents continue to publicly grumble
about financial shortages despite the central government already
disbursing "an adequate amount" of money to their respective
budget through the general allocation funds (DAU).
"No one has been satisfied in terms of money," he remarked.
He said that the central government has disbursed Rp 60
trillion to the provinces, regencies and mayoralties in line with
the launching of regional autonomy early in January 2001.
Nevertheless, he pointed out that, despite these complaints,
no new region or mayoralty has yet asked to be liquidated or
merged with their mother regency. (rms)