President postpones approval of new province

President postpones approval of new province

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri has decided to delay
indefinitely her endorsement of a bill that will establish a
separate province in oil-rich Riau, despite the House of
Representatives' approval.

The absence of the President's signature will mar the bill
although it does not affect its legitimacy following its approval
by the House on Friday. The amended article 20 of the
Constitution stipulates that a law will take effect 30 days after
its endorsement by the House, regardless of whether the President
has consented or not.

Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said after a meeting
with Megawati on Tuesday that the President had ordered him to
delay the discussion of the planned new province as the debate
over the matter remained tense.

"We have temporarily delayed the discussions because the
establishment of new provinces is not one of the government's
priority programs," Hari quoted the President as saying.

Riau Governor Saleh Djasit accompanied Hari during the
meeting.

Hari further said that the government had asked legislators to
settle the difference of opinion regarding the Riau Islands
province before the President endorsed the law.

"We have asked the House special committee deliberating the
bill to talk to the provincial legislature, which opposes the
establishment of a separate province in Riau," Hari told
journalists.

However, he said that so far no lobbying had been conducted
and that the central government would not approve the new
province without the consent of the local legislature.

The people of the Riau Islands, which form part of Riau
province, have been demanding a separate province since the entry
into effect of the regional autonomy law in 2000.

The idea has been challenged by the Riau governor and
provincial legislature, but the House went ahead with the
deliberation process. The House special committee gave its
approval to the bill on Monday, in the absence of Hari.

The 500-member House is scheduled to convene on Friday to
endorse the bill.

Hari said he had written to the House regarding the matter,
reminding the legislative body that the government would not take
the blame for the "unapproved" establishment of the province.

Indonesia has seen four new provinces established over the
past three years. They are Banten, Gorontalo, Bangka-Belitung and
North Maluku.

Some more regions are also planning to follow suit, including
the Riau Islands and Cirebon. But Megawati's administration has
slowed down the moves saying that the government had to
concentrate on more important issues.

"We cannot just establish new provinces like that. First, we
need the infrastructure to do so," Hari remarked.

Governor Saleh said that he was still waiting for the central
government's decision, and continued to consider the Riau Islands
as part of Riau province.

"The debate in the region should be settled first before the
House takes over. We are waiting for the President's approval as
without that the move will not be legitimate," Saleh said.

The 1999 regional autonomy law stipulates that a separate
province can be established with the consent of the relevant
governor and provincial legislature.