Revision of regional autonomy goes on: Hari

Revision of regional autonomy goes on: Hari

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Minister of Home Affairs Lt. Gen. Hari Sabarno asserted on
Friday that the government would continue revising the law on
regional autonomy, despite objection from regents and other
representatives of regional administrations.

"The government will not postpone the revision of the law on
regional autonomy, because local administrations have issued many
regulations that contradict the law," Hari told reporters after
Friday prayers at the ministry.

"Of course we respect their objections as an aspiration of the
association (of regency administrations). But they should address
them to the House of Representatives and not to us (the
government)," he said.

The regency administration association (Apkasi) demanded
earlier that central government postpone its plan to revise the
autonomy law, pending a comprehensive evaluation involving both
central government and local administrations.

The regents also said the revisions were not yet necessary as
the law, which came into effect early this year, had not yet been
fully implemented due to the government's failure to support the
program.

Many have criticized the implementation of Law No. 22/1999 on
regional autonomy and Law No. 25/1999 on fiscal balance, as the
laws have also had a negative impact. For example, investors are
confused about which administration -- local or central -- has
the authority to issue permits.

Several regencies have even issued their own regulations
without any guidance from Jakarta.

Demands for autonomy have increasingly been aired after the
downfall in 1998 of the New Order regime, which was widely
resented for ignoring development in the provinces. The strongest
demands for autonomy came from provinces rich in natural
resources such as Irian Jaya, Riau and Aceh.

The program, nevertheless, has also been considered a
potential threat, which could lead to the country's
disintegration. Even the then Vice President, Megawati
Soekarnoputri, criticized the autonomy concept, saying that the
laws, especially on regional autonomy, went against the principle
of Indonesia as a unitary state, as laid down in the 1945
Constitution.

Hari added that the plan to revise the laws had been made in
response to demands from the People's Consultative Assembly and
the House of Representatives. The government immediately set up a
team to work on the revisions.

"As part of the government's structure, the regents do not
have any choice other than to follow any decision made by the
central government. Apkasi should not promote such a political
maneuver as it is not a political institution," Hari warned.

When asked whether central government would accommodate the
local administrations in formulating the revisions, Hari said,
"We should hear the opinions of academics or nongovernmental
organizations, as we consider that they will give us objective
suggestions."