More municipalities will equal better services, says council

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

The City Council has recommended the creation of more, smaller municipalities to improve services for residents.

The council suggested that Law No. 34/1999 on Jakarta as a provincial administration be revised to redraw the map of the capital to expand the number of municipalities from five to eight.

Achmad Suaedy, the chairman of the council's Commission A for administrative affairs, said during a year-end report on Wednesday that smaller municipalities -- consisting of at least four districts -- would help municipal administrations improve services for a fast-growing population.

The administration has proposed a Rp 14 trillion (US$1.5 billion) 2005 draft budget, with much of the money earmarked for infrastructure, including the construction of additional busway corridors and an East Flood Canal to help ease annual flooding, as well as the construction of a garbage incineration plant.

The council also has recommended the Jakarta governor have four deputies instead of the current one.

"The governor, given Jakarta's status as the country's capital, is very busy accompanying the President to state ceremonies. And the deputy governor is so busy that he often fails to appear at hearings with councillors," council deputy speaker Maringan Pangaribuan said.

He said Ali Sadikin, who served as governor from 1966 to 1977, had four deputies.

Maringan said the council also proposed increasing the number of members from the current 75.

"With only 75 councillors, we have trouble getting enough people together for discussions, such as the deliberation of the city budget," he said. "Ideally, the council would consist of at least 100 members."

I-box Proposed expansion of Jakarta's municipalities:

Current municipalities Proposed municipalities

West Jakarta (8 districts) Kembangan (4 districts)

Grogol (4 districts) South Jakarta (10 districts) Kebayoran Lama (5 districts)

Pasar Minggu (5 districts) East Jakarta (10 districts) Jatinegara (5 districts)

Cakung (5 districts)

North Jakarta (6 districts) same Central Jakarta (8 districts) same Kepulauan Seribu regency (2 districts) same