House slammed for passing bill on Riau Islands

Haidir Anwar Tandjung, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru

Riau leaders were enraged by the endorsement of the controversial bill on the formation of the Riau Islands province by the House of Representatives, saying greed was the motivation and it would cause a secessionist move.

Tabrani Rab, a member of the Regional Autonomy Advisory Council (DPOD), said he delivered his letter to President Megawati Soekarnoputri, asking her not to pass the bill into law because the legislation process was fraught with irregularities.

"I will quit DPOD and awaken the Riau Free Movement if the president signs the bill," he told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday referring to the slumbering separatist movement.

The bill, stipulating the development of Karimun, Riau Islands, Batam and Natuna regencies to be a new province separate from Riau was endorsed by the House in its plenary session here on Tuesday.

The whole procedure bypassed much of the normal bureaucracy as many politicians were accused of vested interests in its rich natural resources, especially oil and gas.

Tabrani, who led a secessionist movement in 1998, explained that the bill had not gone through the normal autonomy law procedures, requiring political support from Riau -- both the provincial administration and legislative councils.

"The nation is on the verge of collapse since the laws are not respected by the state institutions such as the DPR (House) and the Manpower Ministry ... Both institutions should set examples of integrity to regions on how the law should be complied with," he said.

He said despite the endorsement, the formation of the new province was still far away because its process would not be smooth.

The central government of course has no serious problems in the legal process but its enforcement will be facing technical and financial problems because it will need cooperation and financial assistance from Riau province, he warned.

"The birth of the new province will be aborted if both the Riau administration and DPOD are not cooperative and the governor declines to disburse Rp 500 billion to finance it," he said.

He also called on the Attorney General's Office to immediately investigate Riau Islands officials and Riau legislature's members who were allegedly bribed to get their cooperation.

The Supreme Audit Agency has revealed recently that Riau Islands legislature could not account for Rp 87 billion during the 2001 fiscal year which was allegedly used to bribe provincial legislators and the House for the proposed new province.

Fachrudin, chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction at the provincial legislative council, was of the same opinion that the central government and the House had ignored the province's objection to the proposed formation of the new province.

"We are confused by the government's support for the bill's endorsement and the House's ignorance of the provincial legislature's rejection to approve the proposed formation of the bill. Who is now representing the people?," he said.

Fachrudin said not only Riau mainland but also the resources- rich Natuna Islands have objected to the new province's formation.

"Not only Natuna but also the regencies of Karimun, Riau Islands and Batam have yet to approve a new province," he said.

Governor Saleh Djasit and Deputy Governor R.A. Azis who have opposed the idea were not available for comment here on Wednesday.