PBB promises regional autonomy

PBB promises regional autonomy

SURABAYA: Chairman of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) Yusril
Ihza Mahendra promised if it won the elections, it would fight
for regional autonomy which was important for the creation of a
strong administrative system.

He said the number of provinces should be larger. "In fact, we
want the number of provinces here to be 40 plus 12 special
provinces," he said in an address at party gathering at the
Pancasila sports stadium here on Sunday.

Yusril, a state administrative law expert, said larger
regional autonomy is an answer to the controversy surrounding the
question of federalism versus the current unitary state system.

"Grant the provinces autonomy to make them strong. By doing
so, the country will, at the most, become a quasi-federal state
and not a federal one, which would most likely become a source of
conflict," he said.

"A vast province could be divided into several new provinces
according to the people's wishes," he said.