Revocation of subdistrict council bylaw sought

Revocation of subdistrict council bylaw sought

JAKARTA (JP): Representatives of nine non-governmental
organizations grouped under the Jakarta Residents Forum (Fakta)
staged a rally at the City Council on Tuesday, demanding the
revocation of City Bylaw No.5/2000 on subdistrict council.

Spokesman for the group Azas Tigor Nainggolan told members of
the City Council's Commission A for governmental affairs the
bylaw allowed the city administration to play a dominant role in
the establishment of subdistrict councils and restricted public
participation instead.

"The regulation on the subdistrict councils should be more
oriented toward people's empowerment," Nainggolan said.

Subdistrict councils are new institutions designed to empower
people at the grassroots level to participate in the development
of their own communities, as well as to control the activities of
their subdistrict administration.

According to City Bylaw No. 5/2000 on the establishment of the
councils, a member of a subdistrict council serves a five-year
term. A council is to be made up of one representative from each
community unit (RW). Normally, one RW oversees 10 neighborhood
communities.

Each subdistrict council member, representing a community in a
subdistrict, would receive Rp 500,000 per month in "honorary
remuneration".

The city administration will also provide each council Rp
200,000 (US$21) monthly for transportation allowances. There will
be 265 subdistricts council across the city.

A subdistrict council will also earn Rp 500,000 per month for
its meeting expenses.

The funds to finance the operational costs of subdistrict
councils will be taken from the 2001 city budget.

Nainggolan criticized the provision of operational funds for
fear that the money would deprive the subdistrict council members
of their independence in carrying out their jobs.

He said the councillors should replace the bylaw with a new
regulation which gives more access for people's participation.

"The city administration should act as a facilitator, nothing
more than that," Nainggolan added.

Responding to the demand, chairman of the City Council
Commission A Binsar Tambunan said the council could not revoke
any regulation without proper procedure. (04)