Mar'ie sides with the federalist camp

Mar'ie sides with the federalist camp

JAKARTA (JP): Former finance minister Mar'ie Muhammad has
called for the establishment of a federal state, saying that a
political compromise is urgently needed to dissolve the growing
tension and upheavals in the regions.

In a letter to President B.J. Habibie on Wednesday, Mar'ie
said federalism should be founded on the concepts of power and
revenue sharing between Jakarta and the regions.

"A loose federation state system is a healthy alternative
political solution to accommodate the spirit of regionalism,
which unless provided with an outlet, could lead to unilateral
actions that would break up Indonesia," Mar'ie said in the
letter, a copy of which was made available to the press.

Mar'ie, who now chairs the Indonesian Committee for Humanity,
is the latest respected public figure to join the federalist
camp. Amien Rais, the chairman of the National Mandate Party, has
said that federalism as a concept should be debated, but he shied
away from pursuing the case when he came under strong criticisms.

The Indonesian Military (TNI) is strongly opposed to the idea
and has vowed to defend the unitary state system.

Mar'ie suggested to Habibie that the federalism proposal be
debated when the next People's Consultative Assembly meet in
August.

While it would be significant, a new regional autonomy bill
endorsed by the House of Representatives would be transitional
and a more fundamental solution to the problem was needed, he
said.

He proposed constitutional reform, which includes adopting a
federal state system, while retaining the name of Republic of
Indonesia, the Red and White national flag, the Bhinneka Tunggal
Ika (Unity in Diversity) motto, the national anthem Indonesia
Raya and the state ideology Pancasila.

"The concept of sweeping autonomy essentially treats the
relations between Jakarta and the regions as one between superior
and subordinates. It is more logical, and realistic in the short,
medium and long terms that relations are built on the basis of
coordination, and not subordination."

Mar'ie said history showed a fallacy of the notion that
Indonesia's unity could only be secured in a unitary state
system. "On the contrary, through a federal state the spirit of
diversity could be realized in a more natural way. Just look at
the experience of other countries with a federal state system."

The argument that a federal state system would lead to a huge
disparity between wealthy and poor regions would depend on how
revenues were shared between Jakarta and the regions, he said.
"This problem could be addressed under a loose federal system."

Under a federal system, regions would have greater autonomy
and responsibility that would lead them to be more creative in
promoting economic development central government directives.

This would mean faster growth in the regions that will
eventually attract and absorb skilled workers from Java. "We need
to urgently address the structural imbalance whereby 61 percent
of the population live on Java and Bali, which only account for
6.5 percent of Indonesia's land territory," he said. (emb)