House wraps up debate on water bill

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Legislators deliberating the controversial water bill have wrapped up their discussion and will submit the final draft to the House Steering Committee (Bamus) on Monday.

According to the legislators, the draft has accommodated most of the demands of the public, including the treatment of water as a basic human right, instead of a commodity as it was defined in previous drafts.

However, no independent source was available on Saturday to confirm the legislators' claim.

Treating water as a commodity would allow companies, both private and state-owned, to commercialize water, a move that could deprive low-income people of access to clean water.

Experts and non-governmental activists as well as farmers' associations have strongly opposed the bill, prompting legislators to delay its deliberation.

However, in the past few days legislators deliberating the bill have held closed door meetings, denying the public, including the press, access.

In the final draft, according to legislator Amri Husni Siregar from the Reform Faction, farmers are allowed to operate and manage their own irrigation system.

"There must be a distinction, however, between traditional farmers and more profit-oriented ones," he said, adding that major irrigation systems such as dams would still be built and managed by the government.

Meanwhile, on the water regulatory body, legislator Erman Suparno from the National Awakening Party (PKB) said that the body would consist of representatives from the government, non- governmental organizations, and water experts, which would manage the supervision of the price of commercial drinking water, among other things.

As for the issues of weather modification and water export, legislator Noor Balqis from the Crescent Star Party (PBB) said that the draft would allow such techniques like cloud seeding, though under strict supervision, to ensure that no parties suffered any negative effects from it.

"Regions will be allowed to export water, provided that they can meet the water demand in the region for five consecutive years," she said, adding that permits from local and central governments were required.

Noor also explained that a special team for water resources would be established at the local and national level to address specific issues concerning water export and weather modification.

Meanwhile, when asked whether the House was rushing to endorse the bill before its current session ends on Dec. 19, legislator Erwin Pardede from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said that it was not the case.

"There is no pressure whatsoever. If the bill is not endorsed before Dec. 19, then it will be discussed during our next session," he said, referring to the House's next session, which starts in January.

Several NGOs had suggested earlier that the bill was being rushed as the World Bank had indicated that it may not disburse its remaining Water Resources Sector Adjustment Loan (Watsal) scheme of US$150 million, if Indonesia failed to meet its commitment on water resources policy reform made in 1999, which includes the privatization of the water sector.