Sultan criticized over special status bill
Sultan criticized over special status bill
Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta
The governor of Yogyakarta, Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, submitted to
the provincial legislature on Monday a bill on the region's
special status.
The bill, which seeks to preserve the Sultan's position as
Yogyakarta governor, will be first deliberated by provincial
lawmakers before it is submitted to the House of Representatives
(DPR) in Jakarta for further discussion and approval.
The drafting of the bill has sparked criticism from a number
of groups who argue that the top position should be open to all,
including the Sultan's relatives.
The bill was prepared by a team of senior lecturers from
Gadjah Mada University's School of Social and Political Sciences.
It was led by noted political observer Afan Gaffar.
Yogyakarta legislature council deputy chairman Nur Achmad
Affandi told The Jakarta Post that a 17-member team would be set
up to deliberate the bill, starting Sept. 4, 2002.
Affandi criticized the provincial administration and the bill,
saying that the public had been left out of the drafting process.
"What we've seen so far is a top-down process in which
the executive prepares the draft and then discusses it publicly
in attempts to appear it has consulted with the community. That
is completely wrong. It (the bill) is a public policy. Therefore,
we have to ask the people what they want first," said Affandi.
"Besides, it is in fact the House that has the right to
deliberate the bill. That's why it (the bill) should be discussed
here by the legislators rather than by the executive before it is
proposed for deliberation in the House," he added.
Affandi said provincial councillors would give the planned
special committee a mandate to absorb all public concerns
regarding the matter, including possible drafts prepared by
different groups.
"We will welcome all input given by all elements in
the community," he said.
The draft, which was first made public in July, sparked strong
opposition since it stipulates that Yogyakarta's top post be
reserved for the ruling Sultan. Many consider the move
undemocratic.
Some local non-governmental organizations and individuals plan
to prepare a more democratic "rival bill".
"I have no problem with it (the rival bill) as it will enrich
the discourse. What is important is that the people's wishes are
taken on board. There will surely be pros and cons. It will then
depend on how legislators accommodate them," the sultan said
after delivering the draft bill to the Council.
The sultan said what he was concerned with most was the
willingness of the legislators in the House to deliberate the
matter and use their initiative rights to propose their own bill.
"We need at least ten votes to propose the deliberation of the
bill in the House of Representatives. However, we have only four
legislators representing Yogyakarta. We, therefore, have to look
for six other votes at the minimum to proceed (with the proposal
of the bill's deliberation in the House)," the sultan said.
"I do hope the provincial legislators will be able to finish
deliberating the bill by the end of this year and that the
deliberation in the House will be accomplished by 2003. But it
fully depends on the House's initiative," he added.