Officials look to Kalimantan prospects

JAKARTA (JP): An East Kalimantan official said on Wednesday many highly educated government officials from Jakarta had asked to move to the province in the expectation of better career prospects.

Head of the province's mining and energy office Isdiardjo said the officials believed they would have a better career in the province than in Jakarta once the government gives autonomy to the resource-rich province.

East Kalimantan is home to dozens of coal, oil and gas companies.

"About 25 governmental officials with master degrees in various disciplines, including mining, have asked to move to the province, despite the fact that the autonomy policy has not yet been implemented.

"A larger number of officials could follow suit once the autonomy policy is implemented," Isdiardjo said.

The House of Representatives has approved the autonomy law, which will give greater autonomy to the province in economic and political matters. It also approved the intergovernmental fiscal balance law which will give the provinces a large share in the government's natural resource earnings.

The laws will be implemented starting from the fiscal year of 2000/2001.

Analysts believe the laws will create new centers of economy outside Java and lure people to the provinces to fill a shortage of skilled human resources. (jsk)