Local leaders against forming separate province in Riau

Haidar Anwar Tanjung, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru, Riau

A top councillor and influential community leader warned on Monday that there would be public distrust in the law if the House of Representatives passed a bill to establish a separate province in Riau.

The provincial legislative council speaker, Chaidir, told The Jakarta Post the House would be violating Law No. 22/1999 on regional autonomy if it endorsed the bill on Friday,

A respected member of the Riau Regional Autonomy Advisory Council, Tabrani Rab, threatened to resign from the council as soon as the House votes in favor of the separate province, which will cover the current regency of Riau Islands and rich islands of Batam, Natuna and Karimun,

Chaidir said the approval of the bill would reduce the respect of the House in the eyes of the public.

"By approving the bill, they (House) will be disregarding a law which they themselves have endorsed," Chaidir said. He was referring to the Autonomy Law which stipulates that the establishment of a separate province requires approval from the related governor and the provincial legislative council.

Both the Riau governor and legislature have challenged the plan to form a separate province.

"The public will no longer recognize the laws passed by the House," Chaidir warned. "At worst, nobody will comply with the law."

He admitted that he had not been informed whether the House would vote for the bill.

"Formally I have not received any information about what will happen on July 19. Some House members from Riau even told me that the approval remained uncertain," Chaidir said.

Separately, Tabrani suggested that the House take the existing law and the Riau people's aspirations into account in its decision.

"How could the House members dare to dismiss the Autonomy Law, which they passed in 1999?" he said.

"I will resign from the autonomy advisory council and ask for its dissolution if the House turns a deaf ear to our warning and approves a split in Riau."

He also called on all provinces in the country to dismiss all laws approved by the House if the House passes the bill to create a separate province in Riau.