Jakarta to fully implement regional autonomy in 2002

Jakarta to fully implement regional autonomy in 2002

JAKARTA (JP): Despite the inception of regional autonomy on
Jan. 1, the agenda will practically take effect in the capital
only next year at the earliest, an official said on Thursday.

Head of City Subdistricts Administration Office Koesnan A.
Halim told The Jakarta Post that the city administration was
still preparing various procedures needed to adequately execute
the regional autonomy, including those related to the takeover of
some central government assets.

He hinted the city administration office had yet to complete
reorganizing its organizational structure to accommodate the
transfer of authority from the central government.

"We are still drafting changes to the existing structure (of
the city administration office). The draft will be proposed to
the City Council this month," said Koesnan.

He said the changes would include the dissolution of several
city offices, considered ineffective in accommodating regional
autonomy.

"The structural changes should have been made before the draft
city budget of 2001 was endorsed if regional autonomy was to be
implemented now," he said.

The City Council approved on Dec. 30 the Rp 7.49 trillion
budget proposed by the city administration in a plenary session
marred by a walk-out of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle faction members.

When asked about the effort to take over some state assets in
the capital, Koesnan said Governor Sutiyoso and many top city
officials had repeatedly asked the central government to release
the properties.

"So far we haven't had any response. It seems the central
government remains reluctant to hand over assets to the city
administration," Koesnan said.

"However, we pledge to continue with direct approaches to the
State Secretariat and each private institution managing the
assets."

The money-making assets, mostly recreational parks, toll roads
and important public facilities, are currently managed by the
central government through the State Secretariat and private
institutions.

Meanwhile, the city administration office is still completing
the inventory of the assets, among others, Tanjung Priok seaport
in North Jakarta, Kemayoran business center in Central Jakarta
and the Indonesia in Miniature Park in East Jakarta.

Koesnan said, the central government had a different
perception about the takeover, saying that several properties
should be managed according to national standards, including the
Senayan sports complex and exhibition hall, the country's
largest.

"We are capable to manage such assets, because we have
sufficient human resources," claimed Koesnan.

Koesnan said the city administration would propose a
management-sharing scheme with the central government regarding
these businesses.

Under the scheme, the city administration would hold the
authority to issue building construction permits (IMB) and apply
city regulations on parking and local spatial planning of an
area.

"Not all aspects of the businesses will be managed by the city
administration. We will discuss the sharing arrangement further,
but it is important that current operators of these assets
acknowledge our existence as the host of the capital," he added.

Koesnan, however, denied allegations that the city
administration had a strong desire for huge revenues from the
assets.

"Managing such assets doesn't mean that the city will always
reap profits. We have also committed to deal with the debts and
possible losses," said Koesnan.(07)