House wraps up debate on water bill

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.