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.