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.