More municipalities will equal better services, says council
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