Senayan takeover by city could prompt envy

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