Megawati still pushing for autonomy revision
Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
President Megawati Soekarnoputri told the minister of home affairs to make an inventory of problems with the current Autonomy Laws and get the word out immediately to governors, regents and mayors so that they could understand the reasons behind her administration's moves to revise the laws.
The President also instructed regional leaders not to comment on autonomy if they did not fully grasp the very idea of it. She said it would only create confusion among the general public.
"I want to emphasize that at this juncture there is no intention whatsoever to reduce, cancel or to scrap the Autonomy Laws," she told Indonesia's governors, regents and mayors currently in Jakarta for a working meeting with Hari Sabarno, the minister of home affairs.
"And to avoid debate that would only create new problems and uneasiness among the people, I ask all of you to exercise self restraint and do not issue statements, comments or opinions on issues that you do not understand, as it would only obscure the issue," she told them.
Megawati, who ascended to the presidency in July 2001 after the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) impeached Abdurrahman Wahid, has come under constant attacks from critics for amending existing Autonomy Laws. Most critics have accused her of backtracking on the issue.
According to Megawati, there were several principal problems with the very concept of autonomy, which took effect last year. The problems, she said, were related to "our statehood and nationhood".
"We need to amend those items, indeed we must do it in order to strengthen our national unity and the integrity of the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia," she said.
"The autonomy we want to elucidate and strengthen will promote a more effective government and further strengthen the integrity of Indonesia," she added.
In a bid to appease a number of secessionist movements in the country, the central government introduced on Jan. 1, 2001 the Regional Autonomy Law, supported by Law No. 22/1999 on regional administration and Law No. 25/1999 on fiscal balance.
Under those laws, all licensing authority in various sectors, including mining, industry, forestry, agriculture, trade and manpower was entrusted to the regions, while the central government had full authority for foreign policy, defense, monetary decisions and court affairs.
MPR Decree No.4/2000 authorized the government to review the laws which caused many new and complicated problems, including friction between the central government and regional administrations, between provincial and regency administrations and among the regions themselves.
According to Megawati, the regional and provincial leaders did not fully understand the autonomy concept nor its ultimate objectives.
"Please bear in mind that decentralization is not a simple process of swiftly moving authority to provincial governments," she said.
Megawati also called on the local leaders to have a broader perspective in viewing the regional autonomy package, instead of just focusing on the terms which regulate their regional income, and ignoring their greater responsibility to their people and the central government.
"From the reports that I received, there are some poor attitudes being displayed while fighting for the province's income sources. Many have not dealt with the difficulties of planning and controlling expenditures," Megawati commented, adding that should this continue it could weaken the credibility of local leaders.
Following the downfall of the heavily centralized government during the presidency of Soeharto, Regional Autonomy Laws were expected to bring the government closer to the public in order that the delivery of goods and services could be improved. It was also considered to be a means to make the country more democratic.
However, even before the laws were put into effect, many expressed concern, saying that the policy was just another vehicle for regional officials to inflate their personal incomes.