`Regional autonomy must be properly implemented'

`Regional autonomy must be properly implemented'

Arya Abhiseka, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Regional autonomy is clearly one of the best products of the
reform movement; however, its implementation is tricky in nature
as both the central and regional governments are still widely
divided in their interests, say several experts.

Satish Mishra of the United Nations Development Program/United
Nations Support Facility for Indonesian Recovery (UNDP/UNSFIR),
said that regional autonomy had become ineffective, as both the
central and local administrations had lost their sense of
direction.

"The central and local governments are often more concerned
about the technical aspects of regional autonomy, as the priority
and the essence are being forgotten.

"Both the central and local governments must realize what
binds us as a country, so that we could all prioritize our basic
needs," he said.

Mishra cited that both governments needed to prioritize civil
and social rights.

"People need to be equal in law; they also need education,
healthcare, security and welfare, which regional autonomy must be
able to provide," he said during a seminar, organized in
conjunction with the second anniversary of the New Indonesian
Alliance (PIB).

The concept of regional autonomy was greeted with euphoria
when its implementation began on Jan. 1, 2000.

Many hoped that the decentralization of power and services
would increase effectiveness and efficiency, as well as improve
the quality of public services. However, the hopes died as soon
as conflicts between the central and regional administrations
often heightened confusion for many people and created high costs
for businesses.

Speaking at the same seminar, Agung Pambudi from the
Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that business
sectors were reluctant to invest in several regions due to
"double billing" -- he was referring to the new legal levies
which were being imposed by local administrations on top of the
old taxes and levies charged by the central government.

Meanwhile, Oentarto S.M., director general of regional
autonomy from the Ministry of Home Affairs, said that despite
certain divergencies, regional autonomy had achieved some
progress in terms of democracy, the economy and public services.

"However, we admit that there is much groundwork still to be
laid before it can be implemented properly ," he told reporters.

He acknowledged that Law No. 22 on autonomy and Law No.
25/1999 on fiscal balance between the central and local
administrations still had many loopholes, in particular over the
division of responsibility between the central and local
governments.

Harun al Rasyid, governor of East Nusa Tenggara, placed more
blame on the central government for being reluctant in
transferring many of its responsibilities to local
administrations.

"We have not fully been given the green light by the central
government to govern our provinces," he said.

Meanwhile, Sjachriel Darham, governor of South Kalimantan,
said that local governments needed to be more active in checking
the exploitation of its province.

"So many cases have already occurred in which central
government officials have contacted officials in our regencies to
conduct business matters without our consent. We, as the
provincial government, should have been notified first.

"But it is clear that the central government violated its own
system of governance," he said.