PPP wants government regulations annulled

PPP wants government regulations annulled

JAKARTA (JP): The United Development Party (PPP)'s Jakarta
chapter and PPP faction on the city council urged the Supreme
Court on Wednesday to declare null and void two government
regulations that curtail the council's authority over the city's
affairs.

PPP Jakarta chapter chairman Djafar Badjeber called a media
conference to explain that Government Regulation (PP) No. 108 on
the accountability of local administrations and Government
Regulation No. 110 on the financing of local legislative councils
ran contrary to statute law, particularly Law No. 22/1999 on
regional administration.

Djafar told the media conference at the city council building
on Wednesday that many articles in both regulations contravened
the spirit of regional autonomy.

He claimed that the appointment and dismissal of a regional
administration's chief executive and his deputies should fall
within the domain of the regional council concerned rather than
the President.

Djafar also expressed his disagreement with the intrusion of
the State Officials' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN) into the
local administrations' affairs.

He noted that there was no single law stipulating that the
KPKPN should be involved in the appointment or dismissal of a
regional administration head.

But, he refused to say whether his appeal to the Supreme Court
had something to do with the council's refusal to return the
wealth-declaration forms issued by the KPKPN to the councilors.

A battle of words has erupted between KPKPN officials and the
councilors over the making public of the councilors' wealth. The
KPKPN argues that the councilors are required by law to declare
their wealth.

However, the councilors have rejected this argument saying
that they are not state officials and therefore are not required
to declare their wealth to the KPKPN. (01)