Senayan takeover by city could prompt envy

JAKARTA: Minister/State Secretary Bambang Kesowo said on Wednesday that the intention of the city administration to take over the management of the Bung Karno sports complex and the Jakarta Fairground in Kemayoran could create envy and prompt other regions to follow Jakarta's steps.

He emphasized that basically his office would not defend its authority over the two compounds, but he called on the governor to consider the repercussions of such a move.

"If the intention of the Jakarta administration to take over those compounds is simply based on Law No.22/1999 (on regional administration), there must be serious consideration," Kesowo told a hearing with House of Representatives Commission I for State Secretariat affairs here on Wednesday.

Article 10 of the law says a regional administration has the authority to manage national resources in its area and is responsible for sustaining the environment with regard to existing regulations.

Should the government endorse Jakarta's plan, Kesowo said, he was afraid that the Banten and the West Java administrations could take over Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and the Jatiluhur Dam respectively.

Kesowo disclosed that the State Secretariat had no specific duties to manage the two compounds.--JP